Biogen will end development in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and other primary tauopathies for gosuranemab (BIIB092) – an anti-tau antibody licensed from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. in 2017 for up to $1.26bn – after the primary endpoint in the Phase II PASSPORT clinical trial in PSP was not met. However, the company said on 13 December, the Phase II TANGO study in Alzheimer’s disease will continue.
Along with antibodies targeting amyloid-beta in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, biopharmaceutical companies – including Biogen – have invested billions in the hypothesis that clearing tau also may impact cognitive decline. Bristol acquired gosuranemab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets N-terminal tau, when it paid $175m for iPierian Inc. in 2014
