Biogen Inc. has said it will advance its experimental Alzheimer’s therapy diranersen into late-stage trials even though the drug failed to meet the primary endpoint in a mid-stage (Phase 2) study in patients with early-stage disease.
The antisense therapy targets tau, a key protein linked to neurodegeneration, and showed robust reductions in tau levels along with signals of slower cognitive decline, which the company described as “meaningful” but has not yet quantified in detail.
The decision keeps Biogen in the race to develop next-generation Alzheimer’s treatments beyond amyloid, at a time when global pharma is rebalancing R&D portfolios between high-risk neuroscience assets and more predictable chronic therapies. For Indian neurologists and policymakers, the move highlights how multinational pipelines remain heavily invested in Alzheimer’s despite mixed trial outcomes, with potential long-term implications for future access, pricing negotiations and local clinical research collaborations once late-stage data are available.
