Biogen CEO Christopher Viehbacher at LABEST
Legacy and Leadership: Arie Belldegrun recounts a pivotal 2014 encounter with Christopher Viehbacher that highlighted both men's commitment to innovation over acquisition.
Industry Impact: Viehbacher’s transformative leadership at GSK, Sanofi, and now Biogen exemplifies the long-term resilience and evolution required in biotech.
Strategic Expansion: The keynote laid out Biogen’s pivot from neuroscience into immunology and rare disease, driven by first-in-class launches and bold acquisitions.
Opening Reflections from a Biotech Legend
Few figures in biotechnology command the respect and visionary presence of Dr. Arie Belldegrun, founder of Kite Pharma and Chairman of Bellco Capital. At LABEST 2024, Belldegrun introduced keynote speaker Christopher Viehbacher, the current President and CEO of Biogen, with equal parts admiration, personal reflection, and deep understanding of the stakes in modern medicine.
Belldegrun began by recalling a formative encounter with Viehbacher a decade earlier—May 2014, just before Kite's IPO. Then CEO of Sanofi, Viehbacher and his R&D president made an eleventh-hour transatlantic pitch to acquire Kite. The deal didn’t materialize. But what emerged was a long-standing friendship, and Belldegrun made clear he has no regrets—Kite went on to revolutionize cell therapy and expand Los Angeles’ biotech ecosystem.
With warmth and gravitas, Belldegrun painted Viehbacher not just as a dealmaker, but as a patient-focused transformer. “Few people in our industry have profoundly impacted patient care and healthcare more than Chris,” he said. His introduction highlighted Viehbacher’s leadership stints at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Sanofi, his venture work at Gurnet Point Capital, and now his strategic transformation of Biogen.
A Career Spanning Continents and Breakthroughs
Christopher Viehbacher’s keynote speech reflected both his global perspective and his deep commitment to transformative science. Starting with a thoughtful analysis of what makes a world-class biomedical ecosystem, he drew comparisons between Paris—where he once tried to build a biotech cluster—and Los Angeles, which he now views as poised to lead globally.
He made one thing clear: infrastructure alone isn’t enough. “You need community leaders who feel a strong passion to have impact,” he said. That, to him, is what sets LA apart. His praise for local founders, researchers, and investors served not just as flattery—but as a call to build something lasting.
Viehbacher shared anecdotes from his decades-long career, including the founding of Biogen in 1978 by two Nobel laureates. His reflections underscored how long scientific revolutions take—from Steve Rosenberg’s work on cancer immunotherapy in the 1970s to recent approvals of Biogen’s ALS therapy.
Biogen, he noted, is not in the “Twinkie business”—a metaphor for the need to constantly reinvent in biotech. Unlike snacks that can be sold unchanged for decades, biologics face short product lifespans, evolving competition, and complex regulation. “You have to adapt constantly,” he said.
Biogen’s Strategic Shift: Neuroscience to Immunology
Viehbacher used the stage to unveil Biogen’s ongoing transformation, a shift from its longstanding identity as a multiple sclerosis (MS) company to a more diversified biotech leader in rare disease and immunology. With four first-in-class drugs launched in the last year, Biogen is betting on high-impact innovation.
He walked the audience through each of these:
Tofersen (ALS) – A landmark genetic therapy for SOD1 ALS. He shared emotional testimonies from patients who regained the ability to walk—a rare reversal in a typically fatal disease.
Zuranolone (Postpartum Depression) – The first rapid-acting treatment for a disease that afflicts hundreds of thousands of women annually. Unlike standard antidepressants, it works in days, not weeks.
Skyclarys (Friedreich’s Ataxia) – A therapy for a devastating neuromuscular disorder affecting children and young adults, now offering hope in a space long without options.
Leqembi (Alzheimer’s) – The first disease-modifying therapy targeting amyloid plaques, with plans to expand further into tau pathology and inflammation.
Each therapy, Viehbacher explained, not only addressed unmet need but introduced biomarker validation, new treatment frameworks, and precedent-setting regulatory pathways.
Beyond product launches, Biogen is also undergoing structural change. Viehbacher emphasized the need to avoid over-specialization. "If you go too far [beyond your core], you lose your identity,” he said. His solution? Leverage Biogen’s MS and neuroscience heritage to expand thoughtfully into immunology.
A big signal of that intent came in the form of a key hire: Jane Grogan, an immunologist formerly at Genentech, now Head of Research. Her expertise is helping Biogen shape its strategy in autoimmunity and beyond.
Additionally, Biogen’s recent acquisition of Human Immunology Biosciences points to a tactical buildup in rare kidney diseases and autoantibody-driven conditions. “This is how we expand the aperture—carefully, with focus,” he explained.
Innovation and Ecosystems: A Shared Mission
Throughout the keynote, Viehbacher returned to a central theme: biomedical innovation requires ecosystems—and ecosystems require ambassadors. “It’s not just about academic brilliance or VC dollars,” he argued. “It’s about teamwork.”
He highlighted how public perception, reimbursement battles, and regulatory skepticism threaten long-term biotech growth. His call to action was clear: every person in the life sciences sector must be an advocate for innovation.
In doing so, Viehbacher echoed Belldegrun’s own legacy—using not just capital, but community-building as a tool of progress. “As much as we’ve accomplished,” he said, “there’s still so much more to do.”
His closing plea emphasized the urgency of collaboration. “Brainpower is what makes countries competitive,” he said. “We need to make sure elected officials and the public understand what’s at stake.”
Looking Ahead: Biogen as a Growth Engine
While celebrating its history in multiple sclerosis and neuroscience, Biogen is now staking its future on:
Rare genetic diseases with high unmet need and few competitors.
Immunological disorders, where its MS legacy offers a scientific bridge.
Bold moonshots, like Alzheimer’s and ALS therapies, that carry enormous risk but transformative potential.
And while these paths are risky, Viehbacher sees role models in companies like Amgen, which he praised for combining scientific ambition with shareholder returns.
He concluded by reaffirming Biogen’s desire to be part of LA’s rising ecosystem—signaling the possibility of deeper ties between East Coast biotech and West Coast innovation.
Final Thoughts: A Keynote Rooted in Respect and Vision
Arie Belldegrun’s introduction was more than ceremonial—it was a passing of the torch from one biotech visionary to another. His storytelling—marked by candor and personal connection—set the stage for a keynote that was both reflective and forward-looking.
Viehbacher’s remarks made one thing abundantly clear: Biogen is not retreating into comfort. It’s advancing into complexity.
And as Belldegrun noted in his opening: "There is nobody more qualified to lead this mission.”
Together, their remarks captured not just the story of one company—but of an entire industry reckoning with change, rising to the challenge, and looking toward a more innovative, inclusive future.