Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

Terence Flynn: Great. Thanks for taking the question. Maybe a two-part on LEQEMBI. Just wondering, obviously, you talked about the number of unique prescribers more than doubling this quarter. Just wondering how much more breadth you’re expecting from the field force expansion here as we think about the forward through 2024? And then, any early insights on duration of treatment that you’re seeing so far? Thank you.

Alisha Alaimo: Yes. So thank you for the question. My outlook for the rest of the year is, when you really think about the phases that these IDNs are in, and even you see these small accounts that they do move fast out in the community. And if you really take a step back and look in context for the IDNs, we got an approval — full approval in July. It took about six to eight months for these very large systems to get organized, which is that staged and phased approach I talked about. And the fact that now they’re actually opening up these other sites for diagnosing and prescribing, I believe that you’re going to also see the number of physicians prescribing increasing, and it will continue to increase throughout the rest of the year.

If you look at how many physicians that we are targeting and the numbers that are actually prescribing, we still have a good delta there. And so, I do see that continuing, especially with the field force coming in, if they’re covering, our goal is really to drive the acceleration at these large IDNs. I talked to you about the Priority 100, but keep in mind, we actually target quite more than that. I just keep referring to the priority. And there are many other IDNs that are also prescribing and are also expanding and extending. The second part of your question was around —

Chuck Triano: Duration.

Alisha Alaimo: Duration. What’s interesting with this and there’s been a lot of conversations with many of these prescribing sites. Physicians lay very specific and explicit expectations with patients that when they go on this therapy, their expectation is they come in, every two weeks, to get their IV infusion and that they stay on product. And what we’ve seen thus far, and what we believe to be happening thus far is patients are staying on product. We hear that as feedback from the physicians. We also hear that as feedback from the numbers that we see the data that we see. So, so far with duration, the plan is that they’re keeping patients on product. I think there are questions out there as to what to do about duration, but in the absence of any data, physicians are keeping patients on.

Chuck Triano: Right. Thanks, Alisha, and thanks to all of you for joining us today for the call and the IR team, of course, is available for follow-ups. Have a good rest of your day.

Operator: This does conclude today’s conference. We thank you for your participation.