Biogen’s Fraser Hall on the evolving landscape of Alzheimer’s treatment and the role of global collaboration.
Fraser Hall, President & Head of Intercontinental Region at Biogen, is one of those striving to address the complex challenges posed by Alzheimer’s disease. With a strategic vision encompassing neuroscience, rare diseases and immunology, Hall emphasizes the importance of collaborative initiatives in driving pharmaceutical innovation.
At the Global Healthspan Summit (GHS2025) in Riyadh earlier today, Hall participated in the panel discussion Aging and Alzheimer’s – Where is the Science, Where are we Heading?. The panel, which was moderated by Steven Papermaster (Chairman and CEO, Nano Cures International), saw Hall join Dr Andrew Dillin (HHMI Investigator, UC Berkeley) and Mark Roithmayr (CEO, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation) to explore advancements and future directions in Alzheimer’s therapies.
Longevity.Technology: The recent approvals of drugs like lecanemab and donanemab have ushered in a new era in Alzheimer’s treatment, offering hope in slowing cognitive decline. However, these developments also highlight the necessity of ‘taking stock’ – carefully evaluating both the successes and limitations of current therapies. While these drugs represent significant progress, challenges such as high costs, complex administration and limited accessibility, especially in low- and middle-income countries, persist. As the global community advances in Alzheimer’s research, it is imperative to balance optimism with critical assessment to ensure that emerging treatments are both effective and accessible to those in need. Ahead of GHS2025, we sat down with Fraser Hall to discuss pharmaceutical innovations in healthspan, the potential of felzartamab in age-related conditions, and health equity in therapy distribution.
Hall told us the Global Healthspan Summit is poised to drive pharmaceutical innovation by fostering collaboration among experts, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders, and for Biogen, it provides an opportunity to showcase our expertise in neuroscience, rare disease, immunology and biomarker discovery, as well as to work to address unmet medical needs in aging populations.
“The summit underscores the importance of a multi-stakeholder commitment and investment across the healthcare ecosystem to deliver impactful medical breakthroughs,” he said. “With Vision 2030’s Vibrant Society Pillar aiming to enhance life expectancy and quality of life, GHS is well-positioned to contribute to shaping discussion and advancement of healthspan-related therapies.”
Biogen’s strategic acquisitions include Human Immunology Biosciences; this move aligns with the company’s commitment to addressing aging-related diseases by expanding into immunology, and reflects a dedication to following the science and building on existing expertise.
“We continue to view immunology as a significant potential driver of Biogen’s future growth, and the recent acquisition of HI-Bio is an example of this importance,” explained Hall. “The immune system may be the driving force behind all disease and, by expanding further into immunology, we are following the science and building on our existing expertise that originates from our roots in MS. The demonstrated proof of concept of felzartamab, the main asset in the acquisition, in multiple autoimmune indications and complements our global development and commercial experience in rare disease made this a strategic addition to our portfolio.”
Biogen recently received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for felzartamab, an investigational therapeutic human monoclonal antibody directed against CD38, a protein expressed on mature plasma cells.
Hall explained that felzartamab has been shown in clinical studies to selectively deplete CD38+ plasma cells.
“This may allow applications that ultimately improve clinical outcomes in a broad range of diseases driven by pathogenic antibodies,” he explained. “Biogen is currently studying felzartamab in antibody-mediated rejection, primary membranous nephropathy and IgA nephropathy, serious renal diseases with high unmet need.”
The pharmaceutical industry is not without its challenges, and Hall told us that Biogen is executing a clear strategy to drive sustainable growth for the long-term.
“We are realigning resources through disciplined portfolio and pipeline prioritization, enabling a focus on transformative areas like Alzheimer’s, lupus, and severe immune-mediated renal diseases,” he explained, adding that a key part of this strategy is strengthening the company’s R&D pipeline and leveraging real-world evidence to improve understanding of disease progression and treatment effectiveness. “As Biogen looks to put this strategy into effect, we are focusing on expanding our presence in international markets, particularly in emerging economies.”
A theme of GHS2025 has been healthspan equity – ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. This can be difficult when ensuring fair distribution of therapies across diverse global populations. Hall told Longevity.Technology that Biogen’s efforts to address health equity are multifaceted and reflect a deep commitment to ensuring that all patients, regardless of their background or location, have access to life-changing therapies.
“Through partnerships with governments, NGOs, and healthcare providers, we seek to address barriers like affordability, logistics, and infrastructure in underserved regions,” he explained. “By taking steps to expand access, enhance clinical trial diversity, address social determinants of health, and collaborate with local and global partners, Biogen aims to make significant strides toward reducing health disparities and promoting equitable healthcare outcomes.”
Catch up with footage from GHS2025 HERE.
