Benzinga | Aug 30, 2021 03:51PM EDT

Amid Medicare Uncertainty, Biogen Offers Its Alzheimer's Drug For Free

* Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) is providing its controversial and expensive new Alzheimer's drug, free of charge for some patients amid slow claim reviews by Medicare, reports Reuters, citing sources familiar with the situation.

* 'Aduhelm' given as a monthly infusion was approved by the FDA in June even though one of Biogen's two large trials failed to show a benefit for patients diagnosed with the incurable mind-wasting disease.

* Biogen has started to provide Florida's First Choice Neurology with free-of-charge Aduhelm, according to Dr. Jeffrey Gelblum, a neurologist at the center's Aventura, Florida operations.

* "We have been using the Biogen access program - it is almost like a sample program - to get patients started," he told Reuters.

* Biogen has said it has several plans to support patient access but did not give further details. Some hospitals and the Veterans Health Administration have said there is not enough evidence to justify the widespread use of Aduhelm.

* Read: Cleveland Clinic, Mount Sinai Decline To Aduhelm Administration

* Also See: Biogen's New Alzheimer's Drug Turned Away By Veterans Affairs

* Aduhelm, developed in partnership with Eisai Co Ltd (OTC:ESALY), comes in two vial sizes of 300 milligrams (mg) and 170 mg.

* Patients are started on a low dose, which is increased over time to the full dose of 10 mg per kg of a patient's weight.

* Related: Biogen - Eisai Launch 5-Year Study To See How Well Alzheimer's Drug Aduhelm Works In Real World

* Price Action: BIIB shares are up 0.45% at $344.72 during the market session on the last check Monday.