Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB) and Biovitrum AB (BIOVY, BVT.SK) said
they will move ahead in testing their protein treatment for a type
of hemophilia after it was well tolerated in an earlier study.
The new test will see if Biogen and Biovitrum's treatment
prolongs protection from bleeding and reduces the frequency of
injections. Hemophilia is a blood disorder, in which blood is slow
to clot.
Their treatment - fully recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein
- treats hemophilia B, caused by a deficiency or lack of that
factor IX protein. Hemophilia B occurs in about 1 in 25,000 male
births each year.
The companies also are designing a global trial to test the
safety and efficacy of the treatment, which will start once
regulators in the U.S. and Europe approve the test.
Biogen in is the midst of a takeover effort for Facet Biotech
Corp. (FACT), despite Facet repeatedly rebuffing Biogen's advances.
Biotech drug makers have benefited from stable demand for their
products during the economic downturn, and Biogen's big
second-quarter payment in a licensing partnership masked strong
sales of its Tysabri multiple-sclerosis drug, it reported in
July.
However, investors worry about health-care overhaul potentially
hurting drug prices and allowing the sale of copycat versions of
key drugs.
Neither Biogen shares nor Biovitrum American Depositary Shares
were active premarket, after closing Friday at $49.20 and $10.24
respectively.
-By Joan E. Solsman, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2291;
joan.solsman@dowjones.com
