TYSABRI® DEMONSTRATES SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT IN FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS ACCORDING TO NEW POST-HOC ANALYSIS

TYSABRI is the Only Marketed MS Treatment to Show Both Significant Slowing in Disability Progression and Sustained Improvement in Physical Disability

Montreal, Canada - September 19, 2008 - Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) announced that a post-hoc analysis showed TYSABRI® (natalizumab) treatment increases the probability of achieving sustained improvement in physical disability over two years when compared to placebo. This post-hoc analysis provides the first evidence that TYSABRI is associated with a significant improvement in functional outcome, rather than only slowing or preventing progression of disability, in those living with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). These findings were derived from a subset analysis of the Phase III AFFIRM trial and were presented today as a poster presentation at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in Montreal, Canada. This is the first joint meeting of the Americas Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) and its counterparts in Europe and Latin America: ECTRIMS and LACTRIMS.

"These results show that TYSABRI treated patients are significantly more likely to experience a sustained improvement in disability compared to placebo patients. This finding from a post-hoc analysis of the pivotal AFFIRM trial supports both the earlier findings from the AFFIRM trial that TYSABRI is associated with an improvement in quality of life as well as anecdotal evidence of recovery of function in some patients." said Frederick E. Munschauer, MD, Smith Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo. "While, like TYSABRI, other therapies have shown a slowing of progression in disability, this analysis represents the first evidence supporting a sustained improvement in function associated with an approved disease modifying therapy."

Post-hoc Disability Analysis of Phase III AFFIRM Study

The proportion of patients exhibiting sustained improvements in physical disability in the AFFIRM study was determined based upon the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) over two years in patients with relapsing MS. EDSS is one of the oldest and most widely utilized methods of quantifying disability in MS.

Post-hoc analysis of AFFIRM patients assessed sustained improvement in disability among patients with a baseline EDSS score ≥ 2.0. Improvement in disability was defined as a one-point decrease in EDSS score sustained for 12 weeks. The cumulative probabilities of 12-week sustained improvement in disability at two years were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Treatment effects were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for baseline EDSS score. The distribution of sustained improvement by baseline EDSS score for each treatment group was also examined.

TYSABRI produced significant results on the cumulative probability of sustained improvement in disability in those treated over two years compared with placebo. In patients with a baseline EDSS score ≥ 2.0, the probability of achieving sustained improvement was 29.6% with TYSABRI (n=417) compared with 18.7% with placebo (n=203) (p=0.006). In patients with an EDSS score ≥ 2.0 and highly active disease at baseline, the difference between groups was even greater, 35.5% for TYSABRI (n=103) and 15.4% for placebo (n=40) (p=0.045).

The submitted abstract for this study, entitled "Natalizumab significantly increases the cumulative probability of sustained improvement in physical disability" (ID #P474), is available on the World Congress’ website.
About TYSABRI

TYSABRI is a treatment approved for relapsing forms of MS in the US and relapsing-remitting MS in the European Union. According to data that have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, after two years, TYSABRI treatment led to a 68% relative reduction (p<0.001) in the annualized relapse rate compared to placebo and reduced the relative risk of disability progression by 42-54% (p<0.001).

TYSABRI was approved in early 2008 to induce and maintain clinical response and remission in adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD) with evidence of inflammation who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, conventional CD therapies and inhibitors of TNF-alpha. According to the US full prescribing information, among patients who responded to TYSABRI, 54% sustain their response through every visit for one year compared to 20% of patients receiving placebo (p<0.001), for a treatment difference of 34%.

TYSABRI increases the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), an opportunistic viral infection of the brain that usually leads to death or severe disability. Cases of PML have been reported in patients taking TYSABRI who were recently or concomitantly treated with immunomodulators or immunosuppressants, as well as in patients receiving TYSABRI as monotherapy. Other serious adverse events that have occurred in TYSABRI-treated patients included hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis) and infections. Serious opportunistic and other atypical infections have been observed in TYSABRI-treated patients, some of whom were receiving concurrent immunosuppressants. Herpes infections were slightly more common in patients treated with TYSABRI. In MS and CD clinical trials, the incidence and rate of other serious adverse events, including serious infections, were similar in patients receiving TYSABRI and those receiving placebo. Common adverse events reported in TYSABRI-treated MS patients include headache, fatigue, infusion reactions, urinary tract infections, joint and limb pain and rash. Other common adverse events reported in TYSABRI-treated CD patients include respiratory tract infections and nausea. Clinically significant liver injury has been reported in patients treated with TYSABRI in the post-marketing setting.

TYSABRI is approved in more than 35 countries. At the end of June 2008, more than 31,800 patients were on commercial and clinical TYSABRI therapy worldwide. Patients on TYSABRI therapy have continued to increase. An update will be provided in October in conjunction with Biogen Idec's third quarter earnings release.

For more information about TYSABRI please visit www.tysabri.com, www.biogenidec.com or www.elan.com or call 1-800-456-2255.
About Elan

Elan Corporation, plc is a neuroscience-based biotechnology company committed to making a difference in the lives of patients and their families by dedicating itself to bringing innovations in science to fill significant unmet medical needs that continue to exist around the world. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin Stock Exchanges. For additional information about the company, please visit www.elan.com.
About Biogen Idec

Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients in more than 90 countries benefit from Biogen Idec's significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.

For more information contact:

Media Contacts:

Biogen Idec
Shannon Altimari
617-914-6524

Elan
Jonathan Birt
212-850-5664
or
+44 20 7269 7205

Niamh Lyons
Ph: +353 1 663 3602

Investor Contacts:

Biogen Idec
Eric Hoffman
617-679-2812

Elan
Chris Burns
+ 353 1 709 4444
800-252-3526

David Marshall
Ph: +353 1 709 4444

Biogen Idec MS pill found to slow damage

Bloomberg News / September 19, 2008


NEW YORK - Biogen Idec Inc.'s experimental pill to treat multiple sclerosis prevented brain lesions associated with the disease from getting worse, a study found.

The pill, called BG-12, reduced the conversion of new spots of inflammation into permanent damage in a trial of 56 patients, Biogen said yesterday at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in Montreal.

In MS, neurons are stripped of an insulating coating known as myelin by the immune system, causing the cells to malfunction. That leads to MS symptoms such as muscle weakness and loss of coordination, according to the Mayo Clinic. Biogen has received approval from US regulators to speed the review process for its pill, the company said yesterday. If cleared for sale in the United States, BG-12 could be the first oral medication for MS patients to reach the market.

"There are two elements: You want to keep the lesions from forming in the first place and then, even if a lesion developed, you want to know the damage is reduced, and that's what you're seeing," said Mike Panzara, the chief medical officer for Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen in a telephone interview yesterday. "Even if a lesion does develop on BG-12, injury is less because it's less often the lesions become permanent."

About 29 percent of the lesions in the brains of patients on BG-12 turned into signs of permanent damage, compared with 44 percent of those in the placebo group, the study showed.

The company began final-stage testing on BG-12 in January. The trials, on more than 2,000 patients with a recurring form of the disease, will last two years. The drug is being compared with a placebo and with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Copaxone, an approved treatment for the disease.

Biogen Idec sells the MS drugs Avonex, which is given as a once-a-week injection, and Tysabri, an infusion given once a month in a doctor's office or hospital clinic. About 1 million people worldwide suffer from MS.

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

NEW LONG-TERM DATA SHOW THAT PATIENTS TAKING AVONEX® FOR UP TO 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE REDUCED DISABILITY PROGRESSION AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE

NEW LONG-TERM DATA SHOW THAT PATIENTS TAKING AVONEX® FOR UP TO 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE REDUCED DISABILITY PROGRESSION AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE

MONTREAL, CANADA - September 18, 2008 - Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) today announced that data was presented from the ASSURANCE (ASSessment of Drug Utilization, EaRly TreAtmeNt, and Clinical OutcomEs) study, showing the long-term benefits of AVONEX® (interferon beta-1a IM) therapy in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) for up to 15 years. The ASSURANCE study represents the long-term follow-up of patients who participated in the Multiple Sclerosis Collaborative Research Group (MSCRG), the original Phase III pivotal trial from which AVONEX was approved. Data from this study were presented today as a poster presentation at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in Montreal, Canada. This is the first joint meeting of the Americas Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) and its counterparts in Europe and Latin America: ECTRIMS and LACTRIMS.


MONTREAL, CANADA - September 18, 2008 - Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) today announced that data was presented from the ASSURANCE (ASSessment of Drug Utilization, EaRly TreAtmeNt, and Clinical OutcomEs) study, showing the long-term benefits of AVONEX® (interferon beta-1a IM) therapy in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) for up to 15 years. The ASSURANCE study represents the long-term follow-up of patients who participated in the Multiple Sclerosis Collaborative Research Group (MSCRG), the original Phase III pivotal trial from which AVONEX was approved. Data from this study were presented today as a poster presentation at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in Montreal, Canada. This is the first joint meeting of the Americas Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) and its counterparts in Europe and Latin America: ECTRIMS and LACTRIMS.

"As a physician, my goal in treating my MS patients is to delay disability progression and help them maintain their normal lifestyle for as long as possible," said Robert Bermel, MD, Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, Cleveland Clinic. "This follow-up study identifies a group of patients who achieved benefits from long-term treatment, and underscores the importance of starting on and continuing an effective therapy for MS."

The data from the study show that patients currently taking AVONEX for up to 15 years (range of 3 - 15 years) versus those not on AVONEX therapy reported:

* Significantly lower disability progression as measured by a mean change in Expanded Disability Scale Scores (EDSS) of 2.3 vs. 3.3 (p=0.011) from MSCRG baseline;
* Lower disability progression to EDSS milestones four (64% vs. 83%, p=0.06), six (32% vs. 62%, p=0.008) and seven (9% vs. 33%, p=0.008);
* Greater quality of life as measured by the physical component score of the SF-36 (p<0.0001);
* Significantly greater sense of independence in self care (p=0.0019); and
* Significantly more independent living (p=0.031).

ASSURANCE was an open-label, retrospective, patient-reported, multicenter, 15-year follow-up study that included patients with relapsing MS who received ≤ 2 years of treatment in the pivotal Phase III trial (n=172). One hundred thirty-six of a possible 172 patients enrolled in the study. Patients were categorized as current AVONEX users and non-AVONEX users. Forty-six percent of those patients were currently taking AVONEX, with median treatment duration of 13.3 years. Patients not currently on AVONEX were treated with a number of other disease-modifying therapies, with 24 percent of patients undergoing treatment with TYSABRI® (natalizumab).

"This level of impact on disability and quality of life over the course of 15 years reinforces the real-life benefits and proven clinical effectiveness of AVONEX," said Thorsten Eickenhorst, MD, Vice President of Global Medical Affairs, Biogen Idec. "We pride ourselves on providing a treatment that is not only efficacious now but will continue to offer patients the support they need for as long as possible."
About AVONEX

AVONEX is the most prescribed treatment for relapsing forms of MS worldwide, with more than 130,000 patients on therapy. It was launched in the U.S. in 1996 and in Europe in 1997 for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS to slow the progression of disability and reduce relapses. AVONEX has been proven effective in clinical trials for up to three years. AVONEX is marketed internationally in more than 90 countries. AVONEX was the first treatment approved for patients who have their first clinical MS attack and have a brain MRI scan consistent with MS; this use was approved in Europe in 2002 and in the U.S. in 2003.

The most common side effects associated with AVONEX multiple sclerosis treatment are flu-like symptoms, including myalgia, fever, fatigue, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, pain, and asthenia.

AVONEX should be used with caution in patients with depression or other mood disorders and in patients with seizure disorders. AVONEX should not be used by pregnant women. Patients with cardiac disease should be closely monitored. Patients should also be monitored for signs of hepatic injury. Routine periodic blood chemistry and hematology tests are recommended during treatment with AVONEX. Rare cases of anaphylaxis have been reported. For more information, visit www.AVONEX.com
About Biogen Idec

Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients in more than 90 countries benefit from Biogen Idec's significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.

For more information contact:

Media Contacts:

Shannon Altimari
617-914-6524

Investor Contacts:

Eric Hoffman
617-679-2812

Genentech and Biogen Idec Announce Top-Line Results from a Phase II/III Clinical Trial of Rituxan in Primary-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

South San Francisco, Calif. and Cambridge, Mass. -- April 14, 2008 -- Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA) and Biogen Idec, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) today announced that a Phase II/III study of Rituxan® (rituximab) for primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) did not meet its primary endpoint as measured by the time to confirmed disease progression during the 96-week treatment period. Genentech and Biogen Idec will continue to analyze the study results and will submit the data for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting.

"We are disappointed in the outcome of the primary endpoint, but not surprised given the significant clinical challenges presented by PPMS," said Hal Barron, M.D., Genentech senior vice president, development and chief medical officer. "There was some evidence of biologic activity, and we will continue to review all the data to better understand the role of B cells in MS."

"While the primary results are not what we had hoped, we continue to believe in the potential of B cell therapy for patients living with MS," said Michael Panzara, M.D., MPH, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Neurology Strategic Business Unit, Biogen Idec. "PPMS is widely considered a difficult form of MS to treat and historically no therapy has proven efficacy in this disease state."

About the Study
This Phase II/III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of four courses of Rituxan in patients with PPMS. A total of 439 patients from approximately 60 sites in the U.S. and Canada were randomized 2:1 to receive either four treatment courses of Rituxan six months apart or placebo. MRI evaluations were conducted at baseline, weeks 6, 48, 96 and 122.

Detailed safety data from the study is currently being evaluated. The incidence of overall adverse events was comparable between Rituxan and placebo treatment groups. Serious adverse events were 16.4 percent in the Rituxan arm versus 13.6 percent in the placebo arm, with an incidence of serious infections of 4.5 percent compared with <1.0 percent respectively. Infectious events reported in at least 10 percent of patients in either group included upper respiratory and urinary tract infections. Most infectious events in the Rituxan arm were reported as mild to moderate in severity, though events of greater severity were reported more frequently in patients receiving Rituxan. There were more infusion-related reactions with Rituxan, the majority of which were mild to moderate in severity. The companies continue to monitor the long-term safety of Rituxan treatment.

About MS and PPMS
MS is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks the myelin sheath causing inflammation and destruction of this fatty, protective substance. The myelin sheath surrounds the body's nerve fibers in the central nervous system, which includes the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord. There are four generally accepted disease courses of MS with a wide variety of symptoms and variations of disease progression.

Symptoms of the disease vary from patient-to-patient. Neurological disability typically accumulates over time and may include weakness or fatigue; numbness or tingling; blurred vision, impaired color perception or visual loss; poor coordination of muscle movements; difficulty with bladder or bowel control; muscle stiffness (spasticity); speech problems and challenges with cognitive skills.

PPMS affects approximately 10 percent of the MS population and is evident by the slow and continuous progression of the disease. People with PPMS can experience plateaus in the progression of their disability, but generally do not experience distinct periods of relapse or remissions. The progressive nature of PPMS and severe debilitation associated with the disease can have a devastating impact on a patient's quality of life and ability to function.

About Rituxan
Rituxan, discovered by Biogen Idec, is a therapeutic antibody that first received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in November 1997 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). It was also approved in the European Union under the trade name MabThera® in June 1998. In February 2006, Rituxan also received FDA approval in combination with methotrexate to reduce signs and symptoms and, in January 2008, to slow the progression of structural damage in adult patients with moderately-to-severely active RA who have had an inadequate response to one or more TNF-antagonist therapies. Rituxan is the first treatment for RA that selectively targets immune cells known as CD20-positive B cells. Rituxan does not target the entire immune system.

CD20 is not found on stem cells, pro-B cells (B cell precursors), normal plasma cells, or other normal tissues. Rituxan does not target plasma cells. These cells make antibodies that help fight infections.

Rituxan does not target stem cells in the bone marrow, and B cells can usually regenerate and gradually return to normal levels after treatment with Rituxan in about 12 months for most patients.

In addition, Rituxan received FDA approval in February 2006 for first-line treatment of previously-untreated patients with follicular NHL in combination with CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone) chemotherapy and in September 2006, also was approved for the treatment of non-progressing low-grade, CD20-positive, B cell NHL as a single agent, in patients with stable disease or who achieve a partial or complete response following first-line treatment with CVP chemotherapy, and for previously untreated diffuse large B cell, CD20-positive, NHL in combination with CHOP or other anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens.

Over the past ten years, there have been more than 1 million patient exposures to Rituxan.

Important Safety Information
Rituxan has been associated with fatal infusion reactions, tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), severe mucocutaneous reactions and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Hepatitis B reactivation and cardiac arrhythmias and angina have also been observed. Patients should be closely observed for signs of infection if biologic agents and/or disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs other than methotrexate are used concomitantly. Common adverse reactions (≥ 5%): hypertension, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, arthralgia, pruritus, and pyrexia.

In addition to PPMS, for which there is currently no FDA-approved therapy, Rituxan is also being studied in other autoimmune diseases for significant unmet medical needs, including systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.

Genentech and Biogen Idec co-market Rituxan in the United States, and Roche markets MabThera in the rest of the world, except Japan, where Rituxan is co-marketed by Chugai and Zenyaku Kogyo Co. Ltd. For a copy of the Rituxan full prescribing information, including Boxed Warning, please call 1-800-821-8590 or visit http://www.gene.com.

About Genentech
Founded more than 30 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes biotherapeutics for significant unmet medical needs. A considerable number of the currently approved biotechnology products originated from or are based on Genentech science. Genentech manufactures and commercializes multiple biotechnology products and licenses several additional products to other companies. The company has headquarters in South San Francisco, California and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DNA. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.gene.com.

About Biogen Idec
Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients in more than 90 countries benefit from Biogen Idec's significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit http://www.biogenidec.com.

This press release contains a forward-looking statement regarding the potential of B cell therapy for patients living with MS. Such statement is a prediction and involves risks and uncertainties such that actual results may differ materially. Actual results may be affected by a number of factors including, but not limited to, unexpected safety, efficacy or manufacturing issues, the need for additional data or clinical studies, FDA actions or delays, failure to obtain or maintain FDA approval, competition, pricing, reimbursement, the ability to supply product, product withdrawals and new product approvals and launches, and intellectual property or contract rights. Please also refer to the risk factors described in Genentech and Biogen Idec's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Genentech and Biogen Idec disclaim, and do not undertake, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

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