Animal Rights Activists Target Amgen Over Research Supplier Marshall BioResources

Animal rights activists from Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and other organizations held a protest outside Amgen's Thousand Oaks campus on August 3, targeting the company's partnership with Marshall BioResources, a global supplier of animals for laboratory research. The protesters claimed that photos from inside the facility show dogs confined in cages, fitted with inhalation masks being trained for toxicology experiments, and a deceased beagle puppy lying in a metal tub of diarrhea.

The protest was part of DxE's ongoing campaign against Amgen, which has been purchasing dogs from Marshall BioResources for medical research. Dash Nye, DxE's Los Angeles press coordinator, stated that the group is giving Amgen 'the benefit of the doubt' because their primary focus is on ending the partnership with Marshall BioResources.

Marshall BioResources, founded in 1939, breeds ferrets, cats, dogs, and pigs for research facilities across the US. The company has faced multiple citations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for violations of the Animal Welfare Act since 2007. Marshall BioResources claimed that their facilities are regularly inspected by the USDA, including unannounced inspections in May and July 2026, which resulted in no citations.

Amgen declined to comment on the matter, instead referring to its 'Commitment to the Ethical Use of Animals in Research' webpage. The company stated that it applies the highest standards of animal care to support animal welfare, but critics argue that alternatives such as in vitro testing and computer models can be used to reduce animal suffering.