The year’s not over just yet

As the days grow shorter and the holidays draw close, the minds of biotech types turn to the New Year and the J.P. Morgan meetings they’d like to get out of. But the month to come promises to be full of weighty catalysts. Here are a few to keep an eye out for:

• As you might have heard, Biogen is up to something in Alzheimer’s disease, and the company will finally present detailed data on aducanumab come Dec. 5. We’ll have coverage on the day, but here are some outstanding questions in the meantime.
• Sage Therapeutics will disclose Phase 3 data on SAGE-217, a novel treatment for depression that could become a blockbuster. Likewise, Axsome will release Phase 3 depression data of its own, though expectations there are, it’s fair to say, more muted.
• BioMarin Pharmaceutical will disclose whether vosoritide, a drug that targets the most common cause of dwarfism, succeeded in Phase 3. There’s quite a backstory about that treatment and its effect on the patient community.
• Solid Biosciences is expected to disclose more data on from its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a program that has been plagued by safety concerns.