(Updates)
** Shares of Biogen Inc BIIB.O and Eli Lilly LLY.N rise
premarket after Swiss rival Roche's ROG.S Alzheimer's disease
drug candidate fails to meet the goal of long-awaited studies
** Biogen shares rise 4.6% to $302.75, while Eli Lilly
shares were up 1.9% at $356.13 premarket
** Roche said two studies had not reached main goal of
showing the drug, gantenerumab, could preserve abilities such as
remembering, solving problems, orientation and personal care in
early-stage Alzheimer's patients
** Lilly and partners Biogen and Eisai Co Ltd 4523.T are
developing drugs that target a toxic protein plaque known as
amyloid beta
** Biogen and Eisai said in September their experimental
drug, lecanemab, slowed progress of disease by 27% vs a placebo,
in a large trial of early-stage Alzheimer's patients
** That data in September had lifted shares of BIIB, LLY and
other smaller Alzheimer's drug developers such as Prothena Corp
Plc PRTA.O and Acumen Pharma ABOS.O
** Prothena's shares fall 12.6% to $49.71, Acumen down 11.9%
at $5.99 before the opening bell
(Reporting by Manas Mishra)
((Manas.Mishra@thomsonreuters.com))