Biogen Alzheimer's Case Shows Danger of Trials Killing Good Drugs

Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) shocked the biotechnology world last week with a surprise announcement that its Alzheimer's drug aducanumab may be efficacious after all. While it is most definitely great news, coverage has been nevertheless one-sided.

Almost all of the emphasis has been how it will change the Alzheimer's community (and Biogen) for the better. However, there is another, more worrying side to this story: what would have happened had Biogen simply killed the trial entirely after the futility analysis that suspended it?