Biogen isn’t backing down
Back in November, Biogen’s top scientist turned heads around the industry with some strong words about the company’s controversial treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and whether the FDA should approve it. To more than a few outside observers, his comments read like brinkmanship.
At J.P. Morgan, he got the chance to walk them back, and he very much did not do so.
In the cramped breakout room after Biogen’s Monday presentation, Al Sandrock stood by aducanumab, the company’s once-dismissed Alzheimer’s drug. And he again pointed out that, whatever one’s opinion on Biogen’s complicated argument that the drug works, the agency has to consider that every day without an approved therapy means more people getting Alzheimer’s.
“The FDA has to weigh the fact that this is a very serious disease,” Sandrock said. “It’s fatal, and it’s terribly disabling. There are no alternative treatments.” Whether to approve aducanumab will “be a difficult decision for them,” he said. “It always is, it seems. But I think they’ll make the right decision.”
Elsewhere, Eli Lilly outlined its future, Gilead Sciences played some defense, and Sage Therapeutics faced some discordant music. You can read all about it in our Day 1 recap.
At J.P. Morgan, he got the chance to walk them back, and he very much did not do so.
In the cramped breakout room after Biogen’s Monday presentation, Al Sandrock stood by aducanumab, the company’s once-dismissed Alzheimer’s drug. And he again pointed out that, whatever one’s opinion on Biogen’s complicated argument that the drug works, the agency has to consider that every day without an approved therapy means more people getting Alzheimer’s.
“The FDA has to weigh the fact that this is a very serious disease,” Sandrock said. “It’s fatal, and it’s terribly disabling. There are no alternative treatments.” Whether to approve aducanumab will “be a difficult decision for them,” he said. “It always is, it seems. But I think they’ll make the right decision.”
Elsewhere, Eli Lilly outlined its future, Gilead Sciences played some defense, and Sage Therapeutics faced some discordant music. You can read all about it in our Day 1 recap.
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