Driving Innovation in Transplant: A Q&A with Gordon Ingle

Kidney disease is an area with a lack of novel treatment options with potentially severe consequences – particularly for transplant recipients facing possible allograft failure. For this reason, Biogen is focused on innovation for kidney transplant recipients navigating antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). To learn more, we sat down with Gordon Ingle, Biogen’s Senior Clinical Development Lead for Transplant, to discuss the need for innovation in AMR care, the challenges and how Biogen is building the capabilities to drive meaningful progress for patients and their families. 

How is Biogen currently advancing its work in kidney transplantation?

Our primary focus is addressing one of the largest unmet needs in kidney transplantation: AMR. This is a type of immune response that can lead to long-term loss of the transplanted kidney and remains a leading cause of graft failure over time. Despite decades of progress in transplantation, AMR is still very difficult to treat, and there are no approved therapies specifically for it. That’s the gap we’re working to close through a new approach that could potentially change outcomes for patients. 

Why is addressing AMR so important for improving patient outcomes? 

The challenge with AMR is not just its impact, but the lack of effective treatment options currently available. It’s also a complex disease biologically, which has made it difficult to develop new therapies over the past 20+ years. That’s why it represents such a significant unmet need, which is why innovation in this space is so important. For years donor-specific antibodies (DSA) were how AMR management was primarily understood, and the treatment has focused on trying to remove DSA or lower their production. But recent research suggests that AMR is more complex than being antibody-driven alone.

How is Biogen approaching innovation differently in transplant?

What sets our approach apart is a deep focus on the underlying biology of the disease. We’re working to target the mechanisms that drive AMR at a cellular and physiological level. Not just the CD38 positive cells that are responsible for producing DSA that attack the donor allograft, but other CD38 positive immune cells that contribute to kidney damage through antibody-independent mechanisms. That scientific focus, combined with rigorous clinical development, gives us the potential to bring forward a therapy that could help make a difference for people living with AMR and possibly the broader kidney disease community. 

How does collaboration drive progress in AMR research? 

Collaboration is essential. Internally, it takes a fully integrated, cross-functional team to design and execute global clinical trials successfully. Externally, we work closely with investigators, transplant centers, and healthcare professionals to ensure studies are grounded in real-world practice and patient needs. We also maintain strong connections with the broader transplant community, which helps us stay aligned with evolving science and clinical priorities.

What role do patients play in the research process?

Patients are central to everything we do. We have a patient advisory board, ensuring that the patient's voice is included throughout clinical development. We gather input on a wide range of areas, including study design and patient materials to disease education. That feedback directly informs how we develop our programs. Ultimately, our goal is to create solutions that truly reflect patient needs and experiences.

Looking ahead, how can Biogen make the biggest impact in kidney disease and transplant? 

The key is sustained innovation that continues to push the science forward and invest in areas of high unmet need. With the right expertise, partnerships, and focus, we can help bring new possibilities to patients who have been waiting far too long for more treatment options.