Biogen's bigger aspirations

NEW YORK - Biogen Inc. last week held its first analyst meeting in more than a decade, providing an overview of the growth prospects for Avonex beta interferon for multiple sclerosis and an update on its leading clinical programs.

The key take-home message on Avonex was that physicians in the U.S. are treating patients earlier in the course of disease. In addition, patients are being diagnosed sooner. Both those trends have driven sales this year: BGEN posted $271 million in product revenues for the nine months ended Sept. 30 versus $169 million for the 1997 period...