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Biogen finally culls MS dud opicinumab, adds SMA gene therapy to the garbage heap

October 21, 2020

Biogen is cutting its experimental multiple sclerosis (MS) drug opicinumab as well as an spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) candidate amid a third-quarter clear-out.

First, to its MS drug. In its third-quarter financials posted Wednesday morning, the biopharma said: “In October 2020 Biogen announced that the phase 2 AFFINITY study of opicinumab in MS did not meet its primary or secondary endpoints and that Biogen has discontinued development of opicinumab.”

The anti-LINGO monoclonal antibody has experience with failure: All the way back in 2016, it posted a similar phase 2 flop after not hitting its primary and secondary endpoints for MS in the so-called SYNERGY trial.

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