Biogen Idec rolled out the red carpet to analysts and journalists alike yesterday as it touted its research program and talked up its mid- and late-stage drug prospects.
The Boston-based company, best known for its MS drug Tysabri, says that it has 60 programs in development for 15 indications--with six late-stage studies underway. And there are 20 drugs in Phase II or beyond, including a long acting version of Avonex, which is expected to start a Phase III trial in the middle of this year. Another key drug, the oral MS drug BG-12, has completed enrollment for the first of two late-stage studies.
"We have transformed the pipeline over the past three years," claimed R&D chief Cecil Pickett, saying that their research activity rivals the work being done at much larger companies. "Our leading research on the TWEAK pathway has potential applications for autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and our bi-specific antibody platform technology could yield more effective therapies for a host of diseases."
TheStreet's Adam Feuerstein notes that Biogen wants to dispel any fears in the market that it is losing its top spot among MS drug developers as Novartis and Merck are both pushing ahead with late-stage MS trials of their own.
- see Biogen's release on its pipeline
- read the story in the PharmaTimes
- read the report in TheStreet