Immunex Corporation was acquired by Amgen, Inc. on July 15, 2002. Immunex Corporation develops products and therapeutics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and other inflammatory diseases, as well as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It markets three products treating multiple indications, Enbrel®, Novantrone®, and Thioplex® in the United States. Enbrel® is a soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) receptor that inhibits the binding of TNF to TNF cell surface receptors, resulting in a significant reduction in inflammatory activity in rheumatoid arthritis. Novantrone® is used to treat some cancers with a molecular change that results in less damage to the heart. Thioplex® is approved for the palliative treatment of a variety of tumor types. The company competes with Aventis, Bedford Laboratories, Berlex Laboratories, Inc., Biogen, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pharmacia Corporation, and Teva Pharmaceuticals. The company is based in Seattle, Washington.