NEW Antegren update

Biogen continues to outwardly express optimism about its new multiple sclerosis therapy, Antegren:

"Biogen Idec Inc. is in active planning mode ahead of making its mid-year marketing application for its experimental multiple sclerosis drug Antegren, Chief Operating Officer William Rohn said Tuesday.
 
Speaking on a conference call to discuss the biotech company's first period as a combined company, Rohn said that the company wants to "to make sure we are ready for an early product launch," which would be in 2005 at the earliest...

Company officials declined to say if they thought the FDA would grant it a fast six-month approval timeline.

In mid-February, the companies said they plan to file for U.S. approval of Antegren a year ahead of schedule based on discussions with the FDA about the first year of data from two Phase III Antegren trials. Biogen officials repeated again Wednesday that they plan to complete the two-year trials, and won't yet disclose the results of the one-year data. The stocks of both companies hit their year highs on the news last month."

Again and again, we're seeing  that all signs point to positives both for the early release of Antegren, and more importantly, for its efficacy towards treating MS.