Biotech Rivalry Gets Nasty in Mudslinging Battle Over Data
Histopathology of gastrocnemius muscle from patient who died of pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy, Duchenne type. Cross section of muscle shows extensive replacement of muscle fibers by adipose cells.
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The hot competition in biotechnology, where scientists race to cure complex diseases, boiled over this week as a company seeking to treat a deadly muscle disorder made an unusual move: publicly criticizing a rival’s data.
All BioMarin Pharmaceuticals Inc. did was show investors two slides to illustrate an argument that its trial results were superior to those of Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. “We believe this compares favorably to competition,” Chief Executive Officer Jean-Jacques Bienaime told the crowd at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference.