Biogen shifts focus and trims pipeline amidst Aduhelm controversy.

Biogen plans to scrap three clinical programs and “deprioritize” preclinical gene therapy and ophthalmology programs as part of CEO Chris Viehbacher’s larger strategy to overhaul R&D, cut costs and move away from high-risk neuroscience drug development. The company is also looking to diversify away from developing high-risk neurological drugs, and it is overhauling its R&D operations as it deals with dwindling revenue from its multiple sclerosis franchise and the fallout from the rollout of its controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, which gained FDA approval on mixed clinical evidence but failed to garner widespread insurance coverage.