Biogen CEO says company will pause new acquisitions and focus on developing existing pipeline

Biogen's chief executive Christopher Viehbacher told analysts during the second-quarter earnings call that the company will slow its merger and acquisition activity for the foreseeable future.

After a three-year period of buying companies such as Apellis, Alcyone, HI-BIO, Reata and most recently RayThera, Biogen now has a broader portfolio that includes multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, immunology, nephrology and ophthalmology assets.

Viehbacher said the firm has enough assets to drive near-term growth and will shift its focus to executing on that portfolio rather than expanding it further. He added that any future deals would be opportunistic and likely target assets in the pre-clinical or IND stage.

The CEO emphasized that early-stage development will remain a priority, signaling a strategic pivot from aggressive buying to internal development.