Getting the VIP treatment

Tantalized by early Phase II data in 2003, Biogen Idec Inc. waited until last week to obtain worldwide rights to mondoBiotech AG's aviptadil vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension based on a novel mechanism that may be complementary to other PAH therapies.

BIIB liked data from a Phase II study in eight patients completed in 2003, but waited until now to license the compound because additional work had been done to further define the product's potential...