Biogen and Denali Discontinue BIIB122 Development in Parkinson's Disease
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 39 minutes ago
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Source: Globenewswire
- Disappointing Clinical Results: The Phase 2b LUMA study involving 648 early-stage Parkinson's patients showed that BIIB122 failed to meet both primary and secondary endpoints, leading Biogen and Denali to discontinue its development in idiopathic Parkinson's disease, which negatively impacts their prospects in the neurodegenerative disease sector.
- Biomarker Insights: Although BIIB122 did not demonstrate clinical benefits, exploratory biomarker analyses indicated over 90% kinase inhibition of peripheral LRRK2 and approximately 30% reduction in a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker, suggesting potential for further mechanistic research despite the lack of efficacy.
- Ongoing Research Initiatives: Denali will continue to independently conduct the Phase 2a BEACON study focusing on patients with pathogenic LRRK2 variants, with data expected in the first half of 2027, reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to exploring LRRK2 as a therapeutic target.
- Commitment to Scientific Communication: Biogen and Denali plan to present detailed findings from the LUMA study at an upcoming scientific conference, aiming to provide valuable insights to the Parkinson's community, acknowledging that while results were disappointing, they still contribute to the understanding of the disease and its biology.
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Analyst Views on BIIB
Wall Street analysts forecast BIIB stock price to rise
26 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
14 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 187.800
Low
143.00
Averages
204.45
High
246.00
Current: 187.800
Low
143.00
Averages
204.45
High
246.00
About BIIB
Biogen Inc. is a biotechnology company. The Company is focused on discovering, developing and delivering therapies. It has a portfolio of medicines to treat Multiple Sclerosis (MS), has introduced an approved treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), co-developed treatments to address a defining pathology of Alzheimer’s disease and launched an approved treatment to target a genetic cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It markets a drug approved in United States, European Union and certain international markets for the treatment of Friedreich Ataxia (FA) in adults and adolescents aged 16 years and older. It is focused on advancing its pipeline in neurology, specialized immunology and rare diseases. Its marketed products include VUMERITY, TYSABRI, TECFIDERA, AVONEX and PLEGRIDY for the treatment of MS; SPINRAZA for the treatment of SMA; SKYCLARYS for the treatment of FA, and QALSODY for the treatment of ALS. Its commercialized products also include EMPAVELI and SYFOVRE.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Disappointing Clinical Results: The Phase 2b LUMA study involving 648 early-stage Parkinson's patients showed that BIIB122 failed to meet both primary and secondary endpoints, leading Biogen and Denali to discontinue its development in idiopathic Parkinson's disease, which negatively impacts their prospects in the neurodegenerative disease sector.
- Biomarker Insights: Although BIIB122 did not demonstrate clinical benefits, exploratory biomarker analyses indicated over 90% kinase inhibition of peripheral LRRK2 and approximately 30% reduction in a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker, suggesting potential for further mechanistic research despite the lack of efficacy.
- Ongoing Research Initiatives: Denali will continue to independently conduct the Phase 2a BEACON study focusing on patients with pathogenic LRRK2 variants, with data expected in the first half of 2027, reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to exploring LRRK2 as a therapeutic target.
- Commitment to Scientific Communication: Biogen and Denali plan to present detailed findings from the LUMA study at an upcoming scientific conference, aiming to provide valuable insights to the Parkinson's community, acknowledging that while results were disappointing, they still contribute to the understanding of the disease and its biology.
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- Trial Failure: Biogen and Denali announced that their mid-stage LUMA study of the experimental Parkinson's drug BIIB122 failed to meet its primary and secondary endpoints, resulting in a 1% drop in Biogen's stock and a 7% decline in Denali's stock during after-hours trading.
- Safety Profile: Despite the trial's failure to demonstrate improvement in motor and daily living symptoms, the companies reported that the drug was generally well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile and showed strong target engagement in the body.
- Future Research Plans: Biogen and Denali will cease further development of BIIB122 for the broader idiopathic form of Parkinson's, but Denali will continue its BEACON study focused on a smaller group of patients with a specific genetic mutation, with results expected in the first half of 2027.
- Market Sentiment: Retail sentiment on Stocktwits for BIIB and DNLI stocks was bearish at the time of writing, accompanied by high message volume, even though BIIB shares have gained 49% and DNLI shares have increased by 41% over the past 12 months.
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- Investigation Launched: Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims of securities fraud against Biogen Inc., focusing on whether the company and its executives engaged in unlawful business practices that could affect investor rights.
- Clinical Trial Results: On May 14, 2026, Biogen announced topline results from the Phase 2 CELIA study evaluating diranersen (BIIB080) for early Alzheimer's disease, which, despite being described as 'compelling,' failed to meet its primary dose-response endpoint.
- Stock Price Decline: Following the disappointing clinical trial results, Biogen's stock price fell by $13.16, or 6.43%, closing at $191.37 per share on May 14, 2026, indicating market concerns regarding the company's future prospects.
- Legal Context: Pomerantz LLP, a prominent firm in securities class action litigation with over 85 years of experience, is known for advocating for victims of securities fraud and corporate misconduct, which may significantly impact Biogen's potential future litigation outcomes.
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- Clinical Trial Results: The Phase 2b LUMA study involving 648 early-stage Parkinson's disease patients showed that BIIB122 failed to meet both primary and secondary endpoints, indicating it did not slow disease progression compared to placebo, leading Biogen and Denali to discontinue its development in idiopathic Parkinson's disease, reflecting insufficient clinical efficacy of the drug.
- Biomarker Analysis: Although BIIB122 demonstrated over 90% inhibition of peripheral LRRK2 and approximately 30% reduction in a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker, these results did not translate into clinical benefits, suggesting that targeting a single pathway may be inadequate for addressing the complex pathology of Parkinson's disease.
- Future Research Plans: Denali will continue to independently conduct the Phase 2a BEACON study focusing on patients with pathogenic LRRK2 variants, aiming to assess the safety and biomarker engagement of the small molecule inhibitor, with data expected in the first half of 2027, indicating the company's ongoing commitment to LRRK2 as a therapeutic target.
- Scientific Contribution: Biogen and Denali plan to present detailed findings from the LUMA study at an upcoming scientific conference to enhance the broader understanding of Parkinson's disease and LRRK2 biology; despite disappointing results, the study provides valuable insights for the scientific community.
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- Trial Results Disappoint: On May 14, 2026, Biogen's CELIA trial data failed to meet its primary endpoint, resulting in a 6.4% drop in share price, indicating a loss of market confidence in the new drug diranersen, which could impact future funding and R&D plans.
- Primary Endpoint Failure: The CELIA trial did not achieve the expected dose-response on the Clinical Dementia Rating–Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) at Week 76, revealing shortcomings in the drug's therapeutic efficacy, which may raise investor concerns about the company's future profitability.
- Legal Consultation Opportunity: Following the stock price decline, Biogen shareholders are encouraged to submit their information to discuss their legal rights, reflecting investor concerns over the company's transparency and accountability, potentially leading to more lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny.
- Future Development Plans: Despite the disappointing trial results, Biogen intends to advance diranersen to registrational development, demonstrating the company's confidence in the drug's potential, although it may face skepticism from the market regarding its R&D direction.
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- Trial Setback: Biogen's shares fell 6.4% on May 14, 2026, after the CELIA trial data failed to meet its primary dose-response endpoint, resulting in significant losses for investors and a decline in market confidence.
- Future Development Plans: Despite the setback, Biogen intends to advance diranersen to registrational development based on biomarker and efficacy data, indicating the company's belief in the drug's long-term potential.
- Legal Investigation Initiated: Following the disappointing trial results, Levi & Korsinsky law firm has launched an investigation into Biogen, focusing on whether the company made misleading statements that could affect investors' legal rights.
- Investor Action Recommendations: Affected investors are encouraged to gather trading records and contact Levi & Korsinsky for a free evaluation to understand potential legal remedies, ensuring their rights are protected.
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