STAT+: Biogen Alzheimer’s drug slowed decline at rates on par with approved therapies, study shows

STAT PlusBreaking News Biogen Alzheimer’s drug slowed decline at rates on par with approved therapies, study shows Results from mid-stage trial, if later confirmed, suggest medicine could offer some advantages Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Andrew JosephJuly 14, 2026 Europe Correspondent Andrew Joseph[email protected]Andrew covers the biopharma industry, scientific research, and public health across the continent. You can reach Andrew confidentially on Signal at drewqjoseph.71. LONDON — An experimental Alzheimer’s drug from Biogen, designed with a novel approach, slowed patients’ cognitive decline in a mid-stage trial at roughly comparable rates as approved medicines, new data that bolstered the company’s case to move the treatment into a Phase 3 trial. Although experts will wait to see the pivotal trial data before making their final assessments of the drug, called diranersen, the results from the Phase 2 trial, if backed up in the larger study, could rekindle the debate about how strong trial results have to be to signify that a drug can offer meaningful benefits for patients and caregivers. Advertisement Still, Alzheimer’s specialists said they believed the drug was having an effect on disease progression given that different doses of diranersen led to improvements in patient performance on a number of tests compared to placebo. The drug also demonstrated an ability to lower the levels of a protein called tau, which forms toxic tangles in the brain and is associated with memory loss and the onset of other symptoms of Alzheimer’s. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In Alzheimer’s, biotechnology, drug development, STAT+ Submit a correction requestReprints Andrew Joseph Europe Correspondent Andrew covers the biopharma industry, scientific research, and public health across the continent. You can reach Andrew confidentially on Signal at drewqjoseph.71. Newsletter Understand how science, health policy, and medicine shape the world every day Recommended Biotech July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Drug metabolism AI competition results show that bigger may not always be better Health July 13, 2026 STAT Plus: Dementia study replicates promising outcomes following risk-reduction strategies Advertisement The Readout July 13, 2026 STAT Plus: All eyes on data on Biogen’s tau therapy Biotech July 13, 2026 STAT Plus: A breakthrough in pancreatic cancer has experts excited — and braced for what’s to come Biotech July 12, 2026 STAT Plus: Tau in the spotlight at Alzheimer’s conference Subscriber Picks