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.