NEW YORK - Biogen Idec Inc. of Cambridge is in talks to buy Acorda Therapeutics Inc. to gain an experimental pill for patients with multiple sclerosis, people familiar with the discussions said.
Biogen Idec is racing Merck KGaA and Novartis AG to market the first pill for multiple sclerosis, a disease currently managed by injected medicines that generate $6 billion a year worldwide. Acorda, based in Hawthorne, N.Y., said its 2008 net loss doubled from the previous year and the company is trying to sell marketing rights to Fampridine to fund operations beyond 2010.
"The next rational step is exploratory discussions with potential partners," Acorda chief executive Ron Cohen said yesterday. "That does not in any way preclude us from exploring other options."
Acorda spokesman Jeff Macdonald and Biogen spokeswoman Naomi Aoki declined to comment.
Biogen's top-selling MS medication, Avonex, generated $2.2 billion last year. Its fastest growing product is the MS drug Tysabri, which had 2008 sales of $589 million. The company's oral MS drug, BG-12, is in final human tests. Biogen is also developing at least three other experimental treatments, daclizumab, CDP323, and Lingo, for MS.
.
Have a Question, Comment or information for others? If so, please use the post comment link found below. Your name and email address would be appreciated but is not necessary unless you want a response from others. Thank You
============================================
0 comments:
Post a Comment