Growing sales of its multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies and lower R&D expenses led Biogen Inc. to beat both top- and bottom-line expectations during the second quarter, despite lower-than-expected sales of its spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drug, Spinraza (nusinersen).

Keeping with the trend of high-value biopharma deals, the second quarter of 2019 logged another eight partnerships worth $1 billion or more, with Gilead Sciences Inc. a party to three of them.