Securities and Exchange Commission
                       Washington, D.C.  20549

                              Form 8-K

                           Current Report

                   Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
              of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 21, 1996

                            Biogen, Inc.
       (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


Massachusetts              0-12042                04-3002117    
(State or other          (Commission              (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of          File Number)        Identification No.)
incorporation)


                         14 Cambridge Center
                         Cambridge, MA 02142
         (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


 Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (617) 679-2000 

                                  
                      Exhibit Index on page 4.

Item 5.   Other Events.

     On November 21, 1996, the Registrant publicly disseminated a
press release discussing the issuance by the Committee for
Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) of the European Medicines
Evaluation Agency (EMEA) of a positive opinion for the Registrant's
recombinant interferon beta for the treatment of relapsing multiple
sclerosis.  The CPMP's opinion represents the EMEA's scientific
evaluation of the Registrant's product.  The positive opinion of
the CPMP now will be forwarded to the European Commission for final
review and approval.  Approval by the European Commission will
allow the Registrant to market and sell its product in 15 member
states of the European Union.  The Registrant's product was
approved for marketing and sale within the United States in May
1996.  The information contained in the press release is
incorporated herein by reference and filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)  Exhibits.

     99.1    The Registrant's Press Release dated November 21,
     1996.



                             SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                              
                         Biogen, Inc.  
               

                         By: /s/ Thomas J. Bucknum          
                           Thomas J. Bucknum
                           Associate General Counsel - Chief
                           Corporate Counsel
                                   

Date: November 26, 1996


     

                            EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                                           Sequential
Number              Description                   Page Number

99.1                The Registrant's Press Release     5
                    dated November 21, 1996

                    


Media Contact:                                    
Kathryn R. Bloom                        
Director of Communications                   
Biogen, Inc.                            
Tel: (617) 679-2851                     

Angela Kirkman
Manager of Communications
Biogen Europe
Tel: 33-1-41-37-96-02

Investment Community Contact:
Richard E. N. Lundberg
Manager, Investor Relations
Biogen, Inc.
Tel: (617) 679-2822
Internet: Rick_Lundberg@mail.biogen.com
                                   
                                        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

       BIOGEN ANNOUNCES MAJOR STEP TOWARD EUROPEAN APPROVAL OF
                         INTERFERON BETA-1a

Cambridge, MA (November 21, 1996) -- Biogen, Inc. (NASDAQ/BGEN)
today announced that the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal
Products (CPMP) of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA)
has issued a positive opinion for Biogen's interferon beta-1a for
the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis.  Upon final
approval, the product will be marketed in Europe under the brand
name AVONEXTM.  It is also marketed in the U.S. under the brand
name AVONEX.

The CPMP's opinion represents the Agency's scientific evaluation of
the product.  According to the European procedure, the positive
opinion will now be forwarded to the European Commission for final
review and approval.  Final Commission action grants a Marketing
Authorization that is effective in all 15 member states of the
European Union.

Jim Vincent, Biogen's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said,
"This is a major step toward European market approval, and another
strong sign of the potential for this drug.  AVONEXTM continues to
grow at a significant rate in the U.S., where we expect to be the
market leader in the foreseeable future.  The CPMP recommendation,
combined with U.S. sales growth and the additional approvals
anticipated in other markets, underscores the major potential
market for AVONEXTM  throughout the world."

AVONEXTM was licensed for the U.S. market in May 1996.  Biogen has
also applied for market approval in a number of other countries,
including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway.

Biogen, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is a
biopharmaceutical company principally engaged in developing and
manufacturing drugs for human healthcare through genetic
engineering.  The company's revenues are generated from U.S. sales
of AVONEXTM (Interferon Beta-1a) for treatment of relapsing forms
of multiple sclerosis and from the worldwide sales by licensees of
a number of products, including alpha interferon and hepatitis B
vaccines and diagnostic products.  Biogen is focused primarily on
developing and testing novel products for multiple sclerosis,
inflammatory and respiratory diseases, and certain viruses and
cancers.

                         #   #   #




chard\corporat\8kCPMP96