XML 80 R26.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Investments in Variable Interest Entities | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020
Investments in Variable Interest Entities [Abstract] |
Investments in Variable Interest Entities | Investments in Variable Interest Entities Consolidated Variable Interest Entities Our consolidated financial statements include the financial results of variable interest entities in which we are the primary beneficiary. The following are our significant variable interest entities. Neurimmune SubOne AG We have a collaboration and license agreement with Neurimmune SubOne AG (Neurimmune) for the development and commercialization of antibodies for the potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease, including aducanumab (as amended, the Neurimmune Agreement). We are responsible for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of all collaboration products. The Neurimmune Agreement is effective for the longer of the duration of certain patents relating to a licensed product or 12 years from the first commercial sale of a licensed product. We consolidate the results of Neurimmune as we determined that we are the primary beneficiary of Neurimmune because we have the power through the collaboration to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and we are required to fund 100.0% of the research and development costs incurred in support of the collaboration. In October 2017 we amended the terms of the Neurimmune Agreement and made a $150.0 million payment to Neurimmune in exchange for a 15.0% reduction in the previously negotiated royalty rates payable on products developed under the Neurimmune Agreement, including royalties payable on potential commercial sales of aducanumab. In May 2018 we made an additional $50.0 million payment to Neurimmune to further reduce the previously negotiated royalty rates payable on products developed under the Neurimmune Agreement, including royalties payable on potential commercial sales of aducanumab, by an additional 5.0%. Our royalty rates payable on products developed under the Neurimmune Agreement, including royalty rates payable on potential commercial sales of aducanumab, now range from the high single digits to sub-teens. As we consolidate the results of Neurimmune, we treated these payments as distributions and recognized them as charges to noncontrolling interests in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the second quarter of 2018, as applicable. Under the terms of the Neurimmune Agreement, we were required to pay Neurimmune a milestone payment of $75.0 million upon the regulatory filing with the FDA for the approval of aducanumab. During the second quarter of 2020, we paid Neurimmune $75.0 million upon the completed submission of the BLA for the approval of aducanumab to the FDA, which was recognized as a charge to noncontrolling interests for the year ended December 31, 2020. In addition, for the year ended December 31, 2020, we recognized net profit-sharing income of $33.8 million to reflect Eisai's 45.0% share of the $75.0 million milestone expense. Additionally, if aducanumab receives regulatory approval in the jurisdictions where we have submitted filings, we may pay up to approximately $200.0 million in milestones to Neurimmune in 2021, which includes $100.0 million if launched in the U.S., $50.0 million if launched in three or more countries within the E.U. and $50.0 million if launched in Japan. Milestones payable to Neurimmune are shared expenses under the Aducanumab Collaboration Agreement with Eisai. Research and development costs for which we reimburse Neurimmune are reflected in research and development expense in our consolidated statements of income. During the years ending December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, amounts reimbursed were immaterial. The assets and liabilities of Neurimmune are not significant to our consolidated financial position or results of operations as it is a research and development organization. We have provided no financing to Neurimmune other than contractually required amounts. Under the Aducanumab Collaboration Agreement, Eisai had an option to share in the benefit and cost associated with the royalty reductions discussed above; however, Eisai did not elect to share in the benefit and cost with respect to either the October 2017 or May 2018 royalty reductions, which will impact the amount of profits (losses) on potential commercial sales of aducanumab to be shared with Eisai. For additional information on our collaboration arrangements with Eisai, please read Note 18, Collaborative and Other Relationships, to these consolidated financial statements. Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities We have relationships with various variable interest entities that we do not consolidate as we lack the power to direct the activities that significantly impact the economic success of these entities. These relationships include investments in certain biotechnology companies and research collaboration agreements. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the carrying value of our investments in certain biotechnology companies representing potential unconsolidated variable interest entities totaled $12.8 million and $22.7 million, respectively. Our maximum exposure to loss related to these variable interest entities is limited to the carrying value of our investments. We have also entered into research collaboration agreements with certain variable interest entities where we are required to fund certain development activities. These development activities are included in research and development expense in our consolidated statements of income as they are incurred. We have provided no financing to these variable interest entities other than previously contractually required amounts.

X
- Definition Investments In Variable Interest Entities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | biib_InvestmentsInVariableInterestEntitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | biib_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for a variable interest entity (VIE), including but not limited to, judgments and assumptions in determining whether to consolidate and in identifying the primary beneficiary, gain (loss) recognized on the initial consolidation of the VIE, terms of arrangements, amounts and classification of the VIE's assets and liabilities, and the entity's maximum exposure to loss. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration