Biogen Pulls Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug Aduhelm

Biogen is officially pulling the plug on Aduhelm, the controversial antiamyloid antibody that dragged the company through a Congressional investigation, spurred the resignation of a top FDA official, and crashed in ignominy.

The move comes after a month-long review of the Aduhelm development and sales program, during which Biogen sought “potential partners or external financing” to keep the program going, the company said in a press statement.

Aduhelm holds an Accelerated Approval as the first disease-modifying Alzheimer’s therapeutic. Now, instead of pursuing the phase 4 trial that could have led to a full approval, Biogen will funnel nearly all its Aduhelm resources into advancing Leqembi (lecanemab), the only antiamyloid antibody to hold a full approval. Biogen’s other investigational Alzheimer’s treatments, including the antisense oligonucleotide BIIB080 and BIIB113, an oral small molecule inhibitor of tau aggregation, will also share in the reallocation.

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