The company's strong start was driven by increased sales of its multiple sclerosis drug, Rebif.

It recently approved a related multiple sclerosis drug, Betaseron, made by Chiron.

The company attributed the increase primarily to sales of Novantrone, a multiple sclerosis drug it began marketing in March.

A panel of the Food and Drug Administration will discuss about whether to allow a multiple sclerosis drug back on the market.

Biogen needs Amevive to relieve its dependence on a single product, the multiple sclerosis drug Avonex.

Rebif is the top-selling multiple sclerosis drug outside the United States.

After Biogen said its multiple sclerosis drug was looking good, its shares vaulted more than 50 percent.

Mehta & Isaly estimate that the worldwide market for multiple sclerosis drugs will peak at about $2 billion in 2001.

The suspension of Tysabri sales is expected to bolster sales of rival multiple sclerosis drugs.

Biogen is already reeling from the halt in sales of its other multiple sclerosis drug, Tysabri, which was linked to a brain infection.