JUNE 7, 2021 • INVESTOR RELATIONS

Programs now available to support patients and families with their treatment journey

Collaborations with Veterans Health Administration, CVS Health and NAFC focused on health disparities in underserved communities 

Value-based agreements in progress with Cigna and other payers 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., June 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following today’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) accelerated approval of ADUHELMTM (aducanumab-avwa) as the first and only Alzheimer’s disease treatment to address a defining pathology of the disease by reducing amyloid beta plaques in the brain, Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB) and Eisai Inc., U.S. subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd., announced a range of programs intended to support access for all qualified patients, including traditionally underserved populations. These initiatives aim to help patients and their families understand the disease, navigate the diagnostic journey, secure culturally competent care and afford treatment.

“We feel a great sense of purpose and responsibility to turn the hope of today’s FDA approval of ADUHELM into a reality for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their families,” said Alisha Alaimo, President of Biogen U.S. “We are committed to access and health equity as top priorities and will continue working with multiple stakeholders with the goal of helping patients who may benefit from treatment obtain care as quickly as possible.”

“ADUHELM is the first new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease to be approved in the U.S. in nearly 20 years, bringing long-awaited hope for patients and families living with this neurodegenerative disease,” said Ivan Cheung, Chairman of Eisai Inc. and President, Neurology Business Group, Eisai Co., Ltd. “It is critically important for Eisai and Biogen to not only establish these access programs but to champion their reach, especially in underserved patient communities.”

Patient Services Now Available

Personal Biogen Support Service Coordinators are now available to patients and their families to provide one-on-one support. The service coordinators can answer questions about Alzheimer’s disease and ADUHELM treatment, assess financial assistance options for eligible patients, and locate healthcare providers and infusion sites, among other topics. Biogen Support Service Coordinators can be reached at 1-833-425-9360.

Biogen and Eisai have also established a program with Labcorp and Mayo Clinic Laboratories to help physicians and patients access cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostic laboratory testing to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Multiple Collaborations to Address Health Equity 

Biogen and Eisai are committed to addressing health equity for underserved and underrepresented populations that are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Black/African Americans and Latinx people are disproportionally more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as well as more likely to have missed diagnoses compared to non-Hispanic white Americans. The ethnically diverse population of U.S. veterans also faces increased risk for the disease as a result of their service, including conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other factors.

With the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Biogen is working to finalize a multi-year agreement in order to support access for veterans throughout the VHA system. The VHA is the largest integrated health system in the U.S., with nine million enrolled veterans, approximately 48 percent of which are over the age of 65.

Biogen has also entered into an initiative with CVS Health focused on the importance of brain health, screening and disease education. As part of this effort, cognitive screenings will be available through CVS Health’s Project Health, a longstanding health services program helping address care disparities for uninsured and underinsured Americans, particularly in racially and ethnically diverse communities. Patients or their caregivers will be able to consult with onsite healthcare providers about their personalized screening results. The program is scheduled to begin in September in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston/Providence, Charlotte, Charleston/Columbia, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Jackson/Memphis, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.

“We all recognize that the optimal delivery of healthcare requires multiple stakeholders working together,” said Sree Chaguturu, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. “We are committed to addressing systemic health disparities in our country, and this novel initiative is an example of how we can use our enterprise assets and capabilities to make a real difference.”  

In addition, Biogen is working with The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), a nationwide network of 1,400 clinics that focuses on ensuring the medically underserved have access to affordable quality healthcare. Together, the organizations intend to develop a program that supports brain health and culturally competent Alzheimer’s disease education for patients and healthcare providers within the NAFC member clinic network.

“Brain health is a vital part of overall health and wellbeing, but so many people across the United States don’t have the information or access they need to prevent them from falling through the cracks of the healthcare system,” said Nicole Lamoureux, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. “As a trusted source for vulnerable communities nationwide, we are proud to work with Biogen to support NAFC’s clinics with Alzheimer’s disease education and resources.”

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