CAMBRIDGE, Mass., SAN DIEGO & LUCERNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2005--Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Fumapharm AG today announced results from a Phase III study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BG-12, an oral fumarate, in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. The trial met the primary endpoint and patients receiving BG-12 demonstrated a statistically significant clinical improvement as measured by a lower median psoriasis severity score after 16 weeks of treatment than patients receiving placebo.
"These data will be used to support a filing for market authorization in Germany this year," said Burt A. Adelman, M.D., Biogen Idec's Executive Vice President, Development. "We will work with our partner, Fumapharm, to determine the next steps for the BG-12 program. Additional Phase III studies would need to be conducted for applications in the US and the rest of Europe."
