After disastrous start to launch, Biogen still expects 'minimal' sales from Aduhelm this year

Before Biogen won approval for controversial Alzheimer's disease drug Aduhelm, the company had been facing down competitive threats to key medicines. Now that Aduhelm is on the market and barely generating any sales, the company could be in an even more challenging position than it was before.

In fourth-quarter results released Tuesday, Biogen said Aduhelm generated just $1 million during the final three months of the year and $3 million for all of 2021. That pales in comparison to the $480 million Biogen reported in full-year selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses related to the drug. Of the SG&A total, Biogen's partner Eisai chipped in $135 million for U.S. expenses.