Amgen agreed to acquire U.K. oncology startup Dark Blue Therapeutics for up to $840 million to add a preclinical small‑molecule degrader targeting MLLT1/3 and a pipeline of protein degraders aimed at acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other cancers. Amgen said preclinical data showed anti‑cancer activity and mechanistic differentiation from existing therapies. Amgen’s head of R&D, Jay Bradner, framed the deal as a strategic addition to its targeted‑protein‑degradation and leukemia programs. Dark Blue, spun out of Oxford University, will be integrated into Amgen’s discovery organization while Amgen advances the lead degrader toward IND‑enabling studies. The acquisition is part of a broader industry push to buy early protein‑degradation assets and accelerate first‑in‑class programs into the clinic, reflecting Big Pharma’s appetite to secure novel mechanisms earlier in discovery.