Biogen Inc. (Cambridge, MA) is a biotechnology company with deep expertise in multiple sclerosis (MS), neurodegenerative diseases, and novel biological therapies. Biogen's connection to the ceramide/sphingolipid pathway comes primarily through its development of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators for MS, and through exploratory programs evaluating S1P modulation in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Biogen was the first to bring an S1P receptor modulator to market (fingolimod, licensed from Novartis under the name Gilenya for MS), and continues to explore the potential of S1P pathway modulation for neuroprotection across the neurodegeneration spectrum.
The balance between ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) determines cell fate:
S1P receptors (S1PR1-5) are GPCRs that mediate the pro-survival effects of S1P. S1P receptor modulators shift the rheostat toward neuroprotection by:
Biogen has developed derivatives of fingolimod with improved properties:
BG-10 Mechanism: Second-generation S1P receptor modulator with enhanced CNS penetration and improved selectivity.
Development Status:
Preclinical Profile:
Biogen collaborates with academic centers on:
| Program | Collaborator | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| S1PR5 in ALS | Columbia University | Oligodendrocyte protection in ALS |
| S1P in AD | Stanford University | Amyloid clearance mechanisms |
| S1P in PD | UCSF | Neuroinflammation modulation |
Biogen's anti-LINGO-1 antibody promotes remyelination. LINGO-1 is a negative regulator of oligodendrocyte differentiation. While not a sphingolipid agent, it represents Biogen's CNS repair strategy:
| Agent | Target | Indication | Phase | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BG-10 | S1PR1/5 | MS | Preclinical | Active |
| BG-10 | S1PR1/5 | Alzheimer's disease | Preclinical | Active |
| Anti-LINGO-1 | LINGO-1 | MS (remyelination) | Phase 2 | Completed |
| Fingolimod collaboration | S1PR | AD/PD | Phase 2 | Completed (Novartis) |
Barres BA et al. S1P in oligodendrocyte biology and myelin repair. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2018. ↩︎