Christopher Viehbacher on business development
From Biogen Inc ($BIIB) Q1 2025 Earnings Call · · Castify Earnings Call
“I think there is a shift even perhaps in the last four to six weeks. You know, in a couple of ways. I mean valuation is one thing but you know you're still really focused on getting the right thing. Um and what I think has changed is you know you have a lot of healthcare investors who are facing a lot of pressure from LPs and I think they are looking for liquidity and and I think we've had a lot of companies who've you know not really wanted to to do much because valuations are low but we're also finding that there's a lot of companies who are struggling to get financing. So I think if you're looking to acquire I think there might be a little bit more of an ease in actually getting at least into a discussion but I think even from a collaboration point of view you know I think one of the things we're going to see and I think this is also where we're doing this in the early research collaborations I think companies will be able to provide some of the funding as some of the venture capital and some of the other sources of funding dry up for other companies.”
On , Christopher Viehbacher, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at Biogen, spoke about business development during Biogen Inc ($BIIB) Q1 2025 Earnings Call on Castify Earnings Call.
About Christopher Viehbacher
On Biogen's first quarter 2025 earnings call, Christopher Viehbacher described the company as "a tale of two companies," noting that its multiple sclerosis portfolio has been "gradually declining" while a "new Biogen" is emerging. He stated that the company's actively promoted commercial portfolio, including rare disease drugs and Alzheimer's treatments, now accounts for about 45% of product revenue. Viehbacher called Leqembi "the first disease modifying agent that has ever been approved in Alzheimer's" and said that having regulatory endorsement is "extremely important." Viehbacher said Biogen does not expect a material impact in 2025 from potential tariffs, even if the pharmaceutical exemption were removed, citing U.S.-based manufacturing and global inventory positions. He noted that Biogen is open to partnering on excess manufacturing capacity, mentioning that its Solothurn facility is doing contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business and that its Research Triangle Park facility already manufactures for third parties. He also stated that Biogen has a goal of signing four to five new research collaborations in 2025.