For Nick Wilson, the first time he heard about Biogen was years before he ever thought of pursuing a career at the company. “I was in my early twenties, and two of my high school friends were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). It shocked our small town. That was the first time I remember hearing the name Biogen,” he recalled.
Immunology at the Core
“Now, working for Biogen, I’m proud to be part of its 40-year legacy as a leader in neuroscience and immunology. MS is not just a neurological condition; it also has autoimmune components, meaning managing MS requires a nuanced approach that considers both immunology and neuroscience.”
Nick joined Biogen in 2025 as Head of Immunology Research and leads strategic efforts to advance innovative research and help develop transformative therapies in immunology. As a classically trained immunologist with 20 years working in the pharmaceutical industry, he brings robust experience to his role at Biogen. Prior to his current position, he led the cancer immunology and cell therapy discovery group at Bristol-Meyers Squibb.
“The extreme complexity of the immune system and the nascent state of our understanding of its role in health and disease attracted me to the field,” Nick shares. “Throughout my career, my core focus has always been on immunological pathways. I believe we can apply learnings from the things I've seen work well in the cancer immunology space – and things that didn't work – to drive success, especially as we work to further expand in immunology here at Biogen.”
Pioneering in immunology through decades of learnings
Biogen’s expansion into immunology is built on a legacy of pioneering advancements in immune-mediated diseases and a steadfast commitment to innovation. We’ve leveraged decades of expertise from our leadership in multiple sclerosis – a complex condition rooted in immune system dysfunction – and the company is now charting new paths to redefine possibilities in immunology.
“Biogen’s experience in MS taught teams here how to listen to patients and address their real-world challenges with innovative solutions,” explained Nick. “This legacy is a crucial part of Biogen’s DNA and point of pride. It’s why scientists, healthcare providers, and advocates trust Biogen when it comes to supporting patients with challenging conditions.”
Today, our pioneering late-stage immunology development pipeline includes three novel assets across five indications—including immune-mediated kidney diseases and various forms of lupus. Our goal is to unlock the potential of immune modulation to develop differentiated, valuable medicines that address the urgent needs of patients around the world.
“Now, we’re taking that trust and spirit of innovation and applying it to new frontiers in immunology. Immunology represents an area of medicine where the potential is enormous to help millions of people suffering from chronic and debilitating autoimmune diseases,” said Nick. “Conditions like lupus and kidney disease disrupt lives and require long-term care well above and beyond current treatment options. It’s thrilling to work in a space where we’re just beginning to unlock the possibilities.”
The power of collaborations
As we continue to expand and balance our portfolio, particularly in immunology, we’re combining internal expertise with exciting strategic partnerships and collaborations, and considering how we can work with the best scientific minds in our industry to help bring the most promising external advancements directly to patients.
Our acquisition of HI-Bio in 2024 strengthened our late-stage pipeline in immunology and rare diseases with transformative potential to address critical unmet needs for people living with kidney disease.
“Biogen is at a very opportune moment and actively expanding its portfolio,” said Nick. “We're at a sweet spot where we’re thinking of our internal expertise and the knowledge that can come from collaborations, for example, a strong platform or a technology, or a small molecule drug discovery program that is well positioned to deliver a development candidate. We know how to develop drugs. We’ve done this right, and smaller companies often don't have that capacity. So, I think that's really where we can work together to help people.”
