BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Eisai exercises option for Biogen’s anti-beta amyloid mAb

October 23, 2017 10:09 PM UTC

Eisai Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4523) exercised an option to co-develop and co-promote aducanumab (BIIB037) from Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB). The industry has kept a close watch on the human recombinant anti-beta amyloid mAb after it became the first of its class to show Alzheimer's disease modifying potential. Data from a Phase Ib trial to treat AD suggested the compound may clear amyloid plaques and improve cognition, but also raised safety concerns (see BioCentury, Dec. 16, 2016).

Biogen will continue to lead ongoing Phase III trials of aducanumab and shoulder all development costs until April 2018, after which Eisai will reimburse 15% of expenses until December 2018, and 45% thereafter...