A part of Watch Media

MedWatchSaturday28 January 2023

  • Search
  • Log in
  • Pharma & biotech
  • Medtech
  • Hearing health
  • Regulation
  • Other
  • Search
  • Log in
  • Latest
  • Search
  • Log in
  • Pharma & biotech
  • Medtech
  • Hearing health
  • Regulation
  • Other
13/08/2021at 12:38

Biogen's Alzheimer's drug denied support by Veteran Affairs

Biogen will not receive support from US sales channel Veterans Affairs to sell the former's Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm, to war veterans in the country. Veterans Affairs says clear evidence for the treatment's efficacy is lacking, noting instead serious side effects.
Photo: Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix
BY RITZAU FINANS, TRANSLATED BY DANIEL FRANK CHRISTENSEN

US public sales channel Veteran Affairs (VA) will not pay to use Biogen's latest drug against Alzheimer's that was approved this summer in a fast-track process, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm will not be made accessible with support from VA, a spokesperson from the organization informs, referring to the lack of evidence showing that the drug improves cognitive function, also noting that the treatment could lead to serious side effects.

Further, the VA says covering costs for Aduhelm would be a costly affair.

A study carried out by VA's own doctors and researchers has shown that 150,000 US war veterans are diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

The use of Aduhelm for all applicable war veterans would, the study finds, carry an annual expense of USD 4bn excluding expenses for studies.

VA covers medicine costs for more than 9 million war veterans, and, the WSJ writes, has the reputation for using its size to pressure pharmaceutical companies to reduce prices.

Aduhelm's approval was fast-tracked by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June, triggering protests from, among others, the VA's group of independent experts.

Three members of the group resigned from their positions due to the approval after the external team's study concluded in November there being insufficient evidence supporting the efficacy of Aduhelm.

Biogen competes with Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck, which also makes medicine for treating symptoms associated with Alzheimer's. The company's most recent treatment, Brexpiprazol, was launched in April, when a phase III clinical trial was extended.

Biogen upgrades financial guidance after exceeding expectations in Q2

FDA changes prescribing information for new Alzheimer's drug 

Lundbeck hands over former Alzheimer's candidate to privately-owned biotech company 

Related articles:

  • Photo: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS / X90051

    Biogen upgrades financial guidance after exceeding expectations in Q2

    For subscribers

  • Photo: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS / X90051

    FDA changes prescribing information for new Alzheimer's drug

    For subscribers

  • Photo: Stine Bidstrup/ERH

    Lundbeck hands over former Alzheimer's candidate to privately-owned biotech company

    For subscribers

Sign up for our newsletter

Stay ahead of development by receiving our newsletter on the latest sector knowledge.

!
Newsletter terms

Front page now

Foto: Rob Acket/ema
Regulation

CHMP recommends four drugs in January

Bristol Myers Squibb’s Sotyktu, a treatment for moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adults, has gained the favor of the EMA’s expert committee, alongside three generics.
  • CHMP recommends expanded approval of Dupixent
  • Denmark rejects Janssen and Genmab drug twice in January

For subscribers

Klaus Holse is chairman of the Confederation of Danish Industry and board member of at tech firm Terma – both roles with ties to William Demant Invest CEO Niels Jacobsen | Foto: Pr / Dansk Industri
Hearing health

Proposed GN board member has ties to William Demant Invest CEO – GN dismisses connection

For subscribers

Maiken Riise Andersen, ALK's new head of communications and media relations | Foto: Jørgen True, Studie-e
Pharma & biotech

New ALK head of communications to draw in new hires

For subscribers

Foto: GN Store Nord / PR
Hearing health

Analyst: Chairman exit increases chance of GN-Demant merger

For subscribers

Foto: MedWatch
Other

Top news from MedWatch this week

EMA's hovedkvarter i Amsterdam. | Foto: Rob Acket/ema
Pharma & biotech

EMA says antibiotic shortage situation isn't "major event"

For subscribers

Further reading

Foto: Coloplast / Pr
Medtech

Coloplast is the world's most sustainable medtech firm in new analysis

Among 87 of the largest, publicly listed medtech companies, Coloplast has been deemed the very best on sustainability, according to a new international ranking. 

For subscribers

Klaus Holse is chairman of the Confederation of Danish Industry and board member of at tech firm Terma – both roles with ties to William Demant Invest CEO Niels Jacobsen | Foto: Pr / Dansk Industri
Hearing health

Proposed GN board member has ties to William Demant Invest CEO – GN dismisses connection

GN’s proposed board member, Klaus Holse, runs in the same board circles as the CEO of William Demant Invest – but GN says the pick is unrelated to ”any conceivable or inconceivable acquisition.”

For subscribers

Foto: GN Store Nord / PR
Hearing health

Analyst: Chairman exit increases chance of GN-Demant merger

When GN Group’s chair retires following the company’s next AGM, it could pave the way for a large consolidation within the Danish hearing aid market, an analyst says.

For subscribers

Latest news

  • Top news from MedWatch this week – 27 Jan
  • CHMP recommends four drugs in January – 27 Jan
  • Denmark rejects Janssen and Genmab drug twice in January – 27 Jan
  • New ALK head of communications to draw in new hires – 27 Jan
  • CHMP recommends expanded approval of Dupixent – 27 Jan
  • Proposed GN board member has ties to William Demant Invest CEO – GN dismisses connection – 27 Jan
  • EMA says antibiotic shortage situation isn't "major event" – 27 Jan
  • Analyst: Chairman exit increases chance of GN-Demant merger – 27 Jan
  • AGC Biologics to produce Eli Lilly-developed drug delaying type 1 diabetes – 26 Jan
  • Per Wold-Olsen's retirement is "a great loss for GN" – 26 Jan
See all

Jobs

  • Application Manager

  • Two department leaders for the Department of Pharmacy and the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology

  • Head of Regulatory Affairs Danmark

  • Sr. Director, Drug Safety Physician

  • Commercial Director

  • Application Manager

  • Principal Laboratory Technologist

  • Clinical Operational Associate

  • Experienced Patent Counsel

  • Senior Regulatory Affairs Professional

  • Specialist for the supply of pharmaceuticals to Danish hospitals

  • Lead Data Architect

  • Head of International Sales

See all jobs

Jobs

  • Application Manager

  • Two department leaders for the Department of Pharmacy and the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology

  • Head of Regulatory Affairs Danmark

  • Sr. Director, Drug Safety Physician

  • Commercial Director

  • Application Manager

  • Principal Laboratory Technologist

  • Clinical Operational Associate

  • Experienced Patent Counsel

  • Senior Regulatory Affairs Professional

  • Specialist for the supply of pharmaceuticals to Danish hospitals

  • Lead Data Architect

  • Head of International Sales

See all jobs

Colophon

MedWatch
Search

Sections

  • Pharma & biotech
  • Medtech
  • Hearing health
  • Regulation
  • Other
  • Sitemap
  • RSS feeds

Editor

Mikkel Aabenhus Hemmingsen

mah@medwatch.dk

Tel.: +45 3330 8387

Editor-in-chief

Anders Heering

Publisher

JP/Politiken Media Group Ltd

Advertising

annoncering@infowatch.dk

Tel.: +45 7077 7441

Advertising

Job Advertising

job@infowatch.dk

Tel.: +45 7077 7441

Jobs

Subscription

Try MedWatch or get an offer for a subscription meeting the exact needs of you or your company.

medwatch@infowatch.dk

Tel.: +45 7077 7441

Learn more about subscriptions here

Address

MedWatch

Rådhuspladsen 37

1785 Copenhagen K, Denmark

Tel.: +45 3330 8370

Guidelines

  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © MedWatch — All rights reserved

Microsoft is in the process of discontinuing Internet Explorer – and so are we.
For a better experience, we recommend using one of the following browsers.

Kind regards,
MedWatch

Google ChromeMozilla FirefoxMicrosoft Edge