Eastbourne Capital, which owns 12.5 percent of Amylin Pharmaceuticals stock, has said in a letter that Amylin’s board of directors is incapable of providing the leadership the company needs going forward, according to a Union-Tribune story.
Eastbourne is one of two large shareholders who have started a proxy fight with the board of the San Diego-based biotech. The other is famed corporate raider Carl Icahn, who owns 8 percent of Amylin stock.
Both have been harshly critical of the board, blaming it for Amylin’s stock price fading even though it has two diabetes drugs on the market. A week ago reports surfaced that Icahn is pushing for Amylin to be acquired by Eli Lilly. Today, the CEO of Lilly, which is already partnering with Amylin on the diabetes drug Byetta, said the pharma giant has no interest in acquiring the biotech.