Our History
In July 2003, Biogen and IDEC Pharmaceuticals announced their agreement to merge. This merger was finalized in November 2003, creating Biogen Idec, one of the leading biotechnology companies in the world. The company is a NASDAQ-traded firm listed under the symbol BIIB.
Each company has a track record of success in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of novel, first-in-class products that significantly improve human healthcare. Select milestones in the history of each company include:
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Biogen
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1978
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A group of the world's most accomplished biologists gather in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss founding a new kind of pharmaceutical company. Biogen NV is incorporated.
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1980
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Walter Gilbert, Ph.D., of Harvard University and one of Biogen's founders, receives the Nobel Prize for sequencing nucleotides.
Biogen enters into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Schering-Plough Corporation for beta interferon.
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1983
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The company also holds its Initial Public Offering, becoming a NASDAQ-traded firm under symbol BGEN.
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1986
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Biogen's worldwide licensee for recombinant alpha interferon, Schering-Plough, begins commercial sales of Intron® A (interferon alfa-2b) — the first Biogen-developed product — for the treatment of hairy cell leukemia.
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1989
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SmithKline Beecham, Biogen's licensee for its hepatitis B technology, launches Engerix®-B (hepatitis B vaccine) in the United States.
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1993
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Phillip Sharp, Ph.D., of MIT and a founder of Biogen, receives the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his discovery of split genes. Professor Sir Kenneth Murray of the University of Edinburgh, another Biogen founder, is knighted for his discovery of hepatitis B antigens.
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1996
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FDA approves Biogen's AVONEX® (Interferon beta-1a) for treatment of relapsing forms of MS. A year later, the EMEA approves AVONEX for European marketing and sales.
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2000
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Biogen and Elan Corporation, plc announce collaboration on development and commercialization of the drug candidate natalizumab in MS and Crohn's disease indications.
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2003
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FDA approves AMEVIVE® (alefacept) for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis.
FDA also licenses Biogen's 90,000-liter large-scale manufacturing plant in Research Triangle Park, NC for commercial production of AMEVIVE.
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IDEC Pharmaceuticals
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1985
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IDEC Pharmaceuticals is founded in San Francisco, CA to develop and commercialize "anti-idiotype" monoclonal antibodies, a patient-specific, customized approach to treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
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1991
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IDEC holds its Initial Public Offering, becoming a NASDAQ-traded firm under the symbol IDPH.
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1993
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IDEC begins Phase I clinical trials with IDEC-C2B8, a monoclonal antibody product later known as RITUXAN® (rituximab). A Phase II trial begins later that year.
IDEC begins clinical studies with a radioconjugate that weds a monoclonal antibody against B cells to the radioisotope Yttrium. This product later becomes known as ZEVALIN® (ibritumomab tiuxetan).
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1995
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IDEC signs collaboration agreement with Genentech, Inc. for further development and marketing of RITUXAN, in U.S. and Europe.
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1997
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FDA approves RITUXAN for the treatment of certain types of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) — the first monoclonal antibody to be approved as a cancer therapeutic.
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2001
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IDEC breaks ground for its world-class facility for the manufacture of biologics. When complete, this facility will provide Biogen Idec with an additional 90,000 liters of biologics manufacturing capacity.
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2002
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FDA approves ZEVALIN for the treatment of certain types of B-cell NHL — the first radioimmunotherapy to gain approval as a cancer therapeutic.
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Biogen Idec
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2004
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ZEVALIN granted approval by the European Commission for adult patients with CD20-positive follicular b-cell NHL who are refractory to or have relapsed following RITUXAN therapy.
FDA grants accelerated approval for TYSABRI (natilzumab) for relapsing forms of MS. The approval was based on Priority Review of one-year data from two Phase III studies.
Construction of two major facilities completed in California — a large scale manufacturing facility at the NIMO Oceanside Campus and the San Diego Research and Corporate Campus.
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2005
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Biogen Idec and Elan voluntarily suspend the marketing and commercial distribution of TYSABRI and inform physicians to suspend dosing until further notification. The companies also suspend dosing in all ongoing clinical trials.
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2006
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TYSABRI is approved for the treatment of relapsing remitting forms of MS. It is currently marketed in the US and Europe.
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2007
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Biogen Idec acquires Syntonix Pharmaceuticals adding hematology programs to the pipeline. Syntonix is operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Biogen Idec.
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2008
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FDA approves TYSABRI® (natalizumab) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease in patients who have failed or cannot tolerate available therapies.
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