Biogen, a biotech giant plagued by years of boardroom strife, said late Monday that the longtime and polarizing director Alex Denner would step down from its board, sending a signal to investors that the company’s fractious recent history might be coming to a close.
What Biogen didn’t disclose is that its nominee to replace Denner on the board, Susan Langer, is Denner’s live-in romantic partner and the mother of his child, born in November, according to court records obtained by STAT. Denner is in the middle of a protracted divorce from his wife of nearly 25 years, with whom he has two teenage sons — a bitter legal fight in which his extramarital relationship with Langer is a contentious issue, according to the records.
Biogen spokesperson Jack Cox said the company knew about the relationship between Denner and Langer. He also said that Denner recommended Langer to Biogen’s board — he said he incorrectly stated at first that Denner nominated her — but declined to comment on the company’s vetting process and whether it planned to disclose the relationship to shareholders before they vote on Langer’s candidacy later this month. Biogen also omitted mention of the relationship from Langer’s biography in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday morning.
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