Biogen's controversial Alzheimer's med Aduhelm turned away by VA on efficacy and safety worries

In the quest to score national coverage for its controversial Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm, Biogen has been dealt a blow by one of the United States' key payers.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has decided not to include Biogen’s drug aducanumab on its national formulary over “the risk of significant adverse drug events,” plus a “lack of evidence of a positive impact on cognition,” a Veterans Affairs spokesperson said over email. The VA’s pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) specifically credited its decision to a “lack of evidence of a robust and meaningful clinical benefit,” alongside safety concerns, a document posted by Stat News shows.