Biogen sees potential in combining Alzheimer's and obesity drugs
Biogen's looking to the growth of its Alzheimer's drug Leqembi to offset the decline of its multiple sclerosis franchise, which is facing competition from cheaper generic drugs. Biogen's new Alzheimer's drug is already facing competition from Eli Lilly & Co.'s Alzheimer's drug, which was approved in the US last year and has since captured around 30 percent of the market, according to analysts.
Other companies are also circling. Novo is carrying out clinical trials to assess whether the main ingredient in diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss shot Wegovy might help people with early Alzheimer's disease. Research suggests that the weight-loss drug could slow Alzheimer's progression by impacting inflammation and vascular health. Results of Novo's late-stage trial are expected later this year.
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Viehbacher noted that being overweight is a risk factor for Alzheimer's. He cautioned the Novo study 'is a fairly risky proposition,' adding that 'most of the experts we're talking to are not convinced that it will work.'
'It's logical if you have a weight-loss drug that you can see some benefit, but it's actually pretty hard to move the needle on the cognitive side,' Viehbacher added. Alzheimer's drug development has been riddled with failures, even when drugs looked promising in early studies.
Leqembi is a partnership between Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Biogen and Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co.
Biogen makes the active ingredient for Leqembi in Switzerland. The company then ships it to North Carolina, where it gets made into a product. President Donald Trump recently put a 39 percent tariff on imports from Switzerland. It's unclear whether this would impact Biogen's drug.
Still, Viehbacher said the company has the ability to start producing the substance used to make Leqembi in North Carolina for the US market, while continuing to make it in Switzerland for outside the US. He said the company always intended to use its North Carolina facilities to make Leqembi and the potential move was not a direct response to Trump's tariff threats.
Last month, Biogen announced it intends to invest an additional $2 billion in its existing manufacturing footprint in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park.
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