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Biogen Acquires Ionis’ Spinal Muscular Atrophy Candidate As Spinraza Loses Its Shine

Pays $60m Upfront

 
• By Ayisha Sharma

The firm has stumped up $60m for Ionis’s preclinical antisense asset in spinal muscular atrophy, a potential successor to the slowing Spinraza, which also faces patent expiry in a few years.

Box of Spinraza in the foreground, young child in the background
BIIB115 Is Set To Replace Spinraza, Which Could Be Left On The Shelf • Source: Alamy

Looking to shore up its spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) franchise, Biogen, Inc. has exercised an option with partner Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for its preclinical SMA candidate, BIIB115, as the patent expiration date for the firms’ Spinraza (nusinersen) looms in 2023.

The US firm paid Ionis $60m upfront in the fourth quarter of 2021 under their agreement for the asset which promises an easier dosing burden among other potential advantages. Biogen is now solely responsible for costs and expenses related to the development, manufacturing and commercialization of the antisense candidate

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