Biogen Idec is shedding a few letters and will now be known as Biogen. The company announced a new corporate identity and logo that reflect both its evolution and focus on bringing forth new therapies in areas of high unmet need, while honoring Biogen’s scientific heritage and legacy. Biogen Idec was created in 2003 through the merger of Biogen and IDEC Pharmaceuticals. The company has since focused its research and commercial efforts in three core areas: neurology, immunology and hematology.
Biogen also announced data from a pre-specified interim analysis of PRIME, the Phase 1b study of aducanumab (BIIB037), in which aducanumab demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and positive results on radiologic and clinical measurements in patients with prodromal or mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
According to a press release, treatment with aducanumab produced a dose- and time-dependent reduction of amyloid plaque in the brain. Amyloid plaque is believed to play a key role in the development of the symptoms of AD. In exploratory analyses, a dose-dependent, statistically significant effect of slowing clinical decline was observed on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scales, the release said.
“This is the first time an investigational drug for Alzheimer’s disease has demonstrated a statistically significant reduction on amyloid plaque as well as a statistically significant slowing of clinical impairment in patients with prodromal or mild disease,” said Alfred Sandrock, M.D., Ph.D., group senior vice president and chief medical officer at Biogen. “Based on these results, we are advancing the aducanumab clinical program to Phase 3 with plans to initiate enrollment later this year.”
Read the full release
