With $1.5B Sage deal, Biogen bolsters Phase III pipeline ahead of aducanumab decision

Biogen is paying Sage $1.5 billion up front to gain rights to two late-stage CNS products, bolstering the company’s pipeline as it approaches one of the biggest binary decisions in recent industry memory — a March PDUFA date for Alzheimer’s therapy aducanumab. For Sage, the deal triples the company’s cash and gives it a seasoned development partner with global reach as the company navigates multiple Phase III studies in depression. 

Sage Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SAGE) granted Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) exclusive rights outside the U.S. to zuranolone (SAGE-217) and SAGE-324; zuranolone’s rights in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are also excluded. The partners will equally share profits and costs for U.S. development and commercialization.  ...