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): December 23, 1998

                                  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



Item 5.   Other Events.

On  December  23,  1998,  the  Company  publicly  disseminated  a press  release
announcing  the election of James L. Vincent as  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer  of the  Company  and the  resignation  of James  R.  Tobin  from  those
positions.  The press release also  announced the  resignation of Mr. Tobin as a
Director of the Company.

         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 December 23, 1998.



                                   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/ Michael J. Astrue
                                               Michael J. Astrue
                                               Vice President - General Counsel




Date: December 23, 1998



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number              Description

99.1                The Registrant's Press Release
                         dated December 23, 1998




Exhibit 99.1


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

Investment Community Contact:
Elizabeth Woo
Manager of Investor Relations
Biogen, Inc.
tel:  (617) 679-2822                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

           BIOGEN, INC. ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF JAMES L. VINCENT AS CEO
                   Board Accepts Resignation of James R. Tobin

Cambridge,  MA (December 23, 1998) - Biogen, Inc.  (NASDAQ/BGEN) today announced
the  election  of James L.  Vincent,  currently  Chairman  of the Board,  to the
additional  posts  of  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer.   Mr.  Vincent
previously  served as President  from 1985-1994 and as Chief  Executive  Officer
from 1985-1997.

Mr. Vincent  succeeds James R. Tobin,  who has been  President,  Chief Executive
Officer and a member of Biogen's  Board of Directors.  At a meeting of the Board
of Directors  yesterday,  Mr. Tobin resigned  these posts for personal  reasons,
effective  immediately.  In accepting his  resignation,  the Board expressed its
appreciation  for Mr.  Tobin's  contributions  during his  five-year  tenure and
wished him continued success.

Mr. Vincent said, "Jim Tobin has made an outstanding contribution to Biogen.  He
is a very talented executive who played an important role in the development of 
the company and the successful market introduction of AVONEX(R) (Interferon beta
1a)."

During Mr.  Vincent's  earlier term, he led the  development and FDA approval of
AVONEX(R).  Sales of  AVONEX(R)  have  been the  principal  source  of  Biogen's
excellent revenue and profit growth since 1996.

Upon return to his prior role as CEO, Mr.  Vincent said,  "Biogen is in the best
financial and operational shape in its history, and I am confident of continuing
growth of AVONEX(R)  sales.  We will continue with the business  strategies that
have  evolved and been put in place over the past few years." He also  expressed
his optimism for the development of the company's product pipeline.



                                   ##MORE##
Page 2            Biogen Announces Election of James L. Vincent as CEO

In  addition   to   historical   information,   this  press   release   contains
forward-looking   statements  within  the  meaning  of  the  Private  Securities
Litigation   Reform  Act  of  1995.   Reference   is  made  in   particular   to
forward-looking   statements  regarding  anticipated  growth  of  AVONEX(R)  and
development of the Company's product pipeline. These statements are based on the
Company's  current  beliefs and  expectations  as to such future  outcomes.  The
marketing  and sale of  products,  as well as drug  development,  involve a high
degree of risk.  Factors which could cause actual  results to differ  materially
from the  Company's  expectations  include,  without  limitation,  the impact of
competitive  products and litigation,  any delay or failure in obtaining  market
acceptance  for AVONEX(R) in new markets,  risks  associated  with the nature of
business,  regulatory,  pricing and reimbursement-related  decisions world-wide,
unexpected  events  relating to the development of the Company's drug candidates
and  other  risks  and  uncertainties   associated  with  drug  development  and
commercialization  described in the  Company's  periodic  reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

Biogen,  Inc.,  winner  of the 1998  U.S.  National  Medal of  Technology,  is a
biopharmaceutical  company  principally  engaged in  discovering  and developing
drugs  for  human  healthcare  through  genetic  engineering.  Headquartered  in
Cambridge, MA, the Company's revenues are generated from U.S. and European sales
of AVONEX(R)  (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's  research and development  activities are focused on novel products for
multiple  sclerosis,   inflammatory,   respiratory,  kidney  and  cardiovascular
diseases  and in  developmental  biology and gene  therapy.  For copies of press
releases and additional  information about the Company,  please consult Biogen's
Homepage on the World Wide Web at http://www.biogen.com.

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