Biogen

Overview

Large biopharmaceutical company where John Cox held senior leadership and implemented a unified organizational model consolidating process engineering, technical development, cell culture, manufacturing, and engineering under a single reporting structure with monthly cross-functional meetings. At Biogen under John Cox, process engineers, technical development, cell culture, manufacturing, and engineering all reported to one person, with a single monthly core meeting covering data, supply chain metrics, and development updates to enable integrated decision-making. Biogen's unified organization under Cox required development staff to attend supply chain meetings, enabling real-time conversations about the impact of titer improvements on manufacturing capacity and timing. (Segment 8 (40:00-45:00)) Biogen developed Spinraza (nusinersen), the first approved ASO for spinal muscular atrophy, delivered intrathecally; it was one of three ASOs approved around 2016 that marked a turning point for the field. Biogen developed tofersen for ALS using intrathecal ASO delivery targeting SOD1 gene knockdown, representing another major intrathecal oligonucleotide product in the neurodegenerative disease space. (Segment 3 (10:00-15:00))