Biogen Avonex
Executive Summary
Sales were $131.3 mil. in the first quarter 1999 versus $76.1 mil. for the year-ago quarter, an increase of over 70% for the multiple sclerosis treatment. Biogen will present data supporting Avonex (interferon beta-1a) for the treatment of brain anatrophy at the American Academy of Neurology meeting June 17-24. Further competition for Avonex was delayed after FDA recently concluded that Serono's Rebif approval is blocked by orphan exclusivity ("The Pink Sheet" March 8, p. 8)