Biogen Idec to commence clinical trial of haemophilia drug

Biogen Idec has announced plans to commence a new clinical trial of the new haemophilia A therapy it has developed in collaboration with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum.

The two companies are to advance the long-lasting, fully-recombinant factor VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc) to the registrational trial stage following positive data from earlier phase studies.

According to results from the recently-concluded phase I/IIa study, rFVIIIFc has been shown to be well-tolerated by sufferers, as well as offering a consistently longer half-life than the alternative treatment Advate.

Dr Glenn Pierce, vice-president and chief medical officer of Biogen Idec’s haemophilia therapeutic area, expressed excitement over the treatment’s progress.

He said: “Like our long-lasting haemophilia B program, which entered a registrational trial earlier this year, rFVIIIFc offers the potential to make a significant difference in the lives of people with haemophilia.”

Earlier this month, Biogen Idec announced the appointment of Dr George Scangos, formerly of Exelixis and Bayer, as its new chief executive officer.