Experts had doubted whether the drug can actually stop cognitive decline. The U.S. corporation Biogen now announces that it will completely abandon its controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm. Instead, the company aims to focus on its Alzheimer's drug Leqembi as well as the development of new treatments for the neurological disease.
The FDA's approval of Aduhelm in 2021 sparked heated debates. The Medicare public health insurance in the USA had severely limited reimbursement for the treatment, prompting Biogen to announce scaling back the business with Aduhelm. The application for approval in Europe was withdrawn.
Aduhelm Aims to Remove Beta-Amyloid, One of the Characteristic Protein Deposits in Alzheimer's, from Patients' Brains. However, this Approach has Led to Dangerous Brain Swellings in Some Patients. Moreover, There are Doubts Whether the Drug Can Actually Halt Cognitive Decline.
In contrast, Leqembi, which Biogen markets together with the Japanese company Eisai, received standard approval in the US last July. This made it the first disease-modifying Alzheimer's drug to clear this regulatory hurdle. In preparation for the launch, Biogen had announced it would cut approximately 1000 jobs.
The Decision to Discontinue Aduhelm Has Nothing to Do With Safety or Efficacy Concerns, Stresses Biogen. Instead, the Released Resources Will Now Be Invested in Strengthening the Company's Alzheimer's Franchise. According to CEO Christopher Viehbacher, Aduhelm Could Pave the Way for Future Drugs and Revitalize Investments in This Field.
Biogen Returned the Rights to Aduhelm to the Biotech Company Neurimmune, from Which It Had Licensed the Drug in 2007. The Decision Followed a Recent Review by Independent Expert Panels of Biogen and Came After the Company Lowered Its Financial Forecasts in June 2022.
