To all:
Another successful defense of AVONEX by BGEN in the international market:
> > >Biogen Announces that German Court Enjoins Schering A.G. From Issuing Inaccurate
Information Relating to Avonex (Interferon Beta-1a) Dosing
PR Newswire, Thursday, September 24, 1998 at 16:18
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Biogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:BGEN)
today announced that a District Court in Berlin has issued an injunction
calling for Schering A.G. to stop making misleading statements relating to the
dose of Biogen's AVONEX(R) (Interferon beta-1a), the world's leading treatment
for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. The Company said that Schering has
voluntarily consented to this cease and desist declaration and that violations
would lead to both penalties against Schering and damages to Biogen.
In its ruling, the German District Court said that Biogen has offered
"prima facie evidence that its medication AVONEX(R) has been approved by the
European Commission on the basis, amongst other things, of the dosage
specified in the summary of the properties of this medication. This makes it
likely to a large degree that the specified dosage is sufficient and is not an
under-dosage."
Jim Tobin, Biogen's Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are pleased that
Schering has acknowledged that its statements about the dose of AVONEX(R) have
been deliberately misleading. As a result of this decision, we expect
Schering will behave more responsibly, not only in Germany, but throughout the
entire global marketplace."
AVONEX(R) is the world's most popular drug for treatment of relapsing
forms of MS. It is the only drug proven to both slow the progression of
relapsing MS and the number of disease exacerbations. In addition, it has a
more convenient dosing regimen than its competitors and a moderate side-effect
profile.
Biogen, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is a biopharmaceutical
company principally engaged in discovering and developing drugs for human
healthcare through genetic engineering. The Company's revenues are generated
from the worldwide sales of AVONEX(R) (Interferon beta-1a) for treatment of
relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, and from the worldwide sales by
licensees of a number of products, including alpha interferon, hepatitis B
vaccines and diagnostic products. Biogen's research and development
activities are focused on novel products for multiple sclerosis, inflammatory,
respiratory, kidney and cardiovascular diseases and in developmental biology
and gene therapy. For copies of press releases and additional information
about the Company, please consult Biogen's Homepage on the World Wide Web at
biogen.com.
SOURCE Biogen, Inc.
-0- 09/24/98
/CONTACT: Media: Kathryn R. Bloom, Director of Communications,
617-679-2851 or Investment Community: Elizabeth Woo, Manager, Investor
Relations, 617-679-2812 both of Biogen, Inc./ < < <
Steve |
