Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

22.    Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

We rent laboratory and office space and certain equipment under non-cancelable operating leases. These lease agreements contain various clauses for renewal at our option and, in certain cases, escalation clauses typically linked to rates of inflation. Rental expense under these leases, which terminate at various dates through 2028, amounted to $46.2 million in 2011, $44.8 million in 2010 and $36.4 million in 2009. In addition to rent, the leases may require us to pay additional amounts for taxes, insurance, maintenance and other operating expenses.

As of December 31, 2011, minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable leases, net of income from subleases, for each of the next five years and total thereafter were as follows:

(In millions)	2012			2013			2014			2015		2016		Thereafter		Total
Minimum lease payments (1)	$	33.9		$	42.5		$	54.3		$	49.3	$	44.6	$	450.5	$	675.1
Less: income from subleases		(0.5	)		(0.5	)		(0.4	)		—		—		—		(1.4	)
Net minimum lease payments	$	33.4		$	42.0		$	53.9		$	49.3	$	44.6	$	450.5	$	673.7

(1) Includes future minimum rental commitments related to leases executed for two office buildings to be built in Cambridge, Massachusetts with a planned occupancy during the second half of 2013. The leases both have 15 year terms and we have options to extend the term of each lease for two additional five-year terms. Future minimum rental commitments under these leases will total approximately $340.0 million over the initial 15 year lease terms.

Balances also include remaining total minimum lease payments through 2025, totaling approximately $240.0 million, related to our current principal executive offices in Weston, Massachusetts, which we expect to vacate upon completion of the two new buildings in Cambridge Massachusetts.

For additional information related to these transactions, please read Note 11, Property, Plant and Equipment to these consolidated financial statements.

Under certain of our lease agreements, we are contractually obligated to return leased space to its original condition upon termination of the lease agreement. At the inception of a lease with such conditions, we record an asset retirement obligation liability and a corresponding capital asset in an amount equal to the estimated fair value of the obligation. In subsequent periods, for each such lease, we record interest expense to accrete the asset retirement obligation liability to full value and depreciate each capitalized asset retirement obligation asset, both over the term of the associated lease agreement. Our asset retirement obligations were not significant as of December 31, 2011 or 2010.

Tax Related Obligations

We exclude liabilities pertaining to uncertain tax positions from our summary of contractual obligations as we cannot make a reliable estimate of the period of cash settlement with the respective taxing authorities. As of December 31, 2011, we have approximately $58.4 million of liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions.

Other Funding Commitments

As of December 31, 2011, we have funding commitments of up to approximately $14.5 million as part of our investment in biotechnology oriented venture capital funds.

As of December 31, 2011, we have several ongoing clinical studies in various clinical trial stages. Our most significant clinical trial expenditures are to clinical research organizations (CROs). The contracts with CROs are generally cancellable, with notice, at our option. We have recorded accrued expenses of $25.0 million on our consolidated balance sheet for expenditures incurred by CROs as of December 31, 2011. We have approximately $475.0 million in cancellable future commitments based on existing CRO contracts as of December 31, 2011.

Contingent Milestone Payments

Based on our development plans as of December 31, 2011, we have committed to make potential future milestone payments to third parties of up to approximately $1.9 billion as part of our various collaborations, including licensing and development programs. Payments under these agreements generally become due and payable only upon achievement of certain development, regulatory or commercial milestones. Because the achievement of these milestones had not occurred as of December 31, 2011, such contingencies have not been recorded in our financial statements.

Contingent Consideration

In connection with our purchase of the noncontrolling interests in our joint venture investments in Biogen Dompé SRL and Biogen Dompé Switzerland GmbH and our acquisitions of Biogen Idec International Neuroscience GmbH, Biogen Idec Hemophilia Inc., and Fumapharm AG, we agreed to make additional payments based upon the achievement of certain milestone events. Amounts related to contingent milestone payments are not considered contractual obligations as they are contingent on the successful achievement of certain development, regulatory approval and commercial milestones. These milestones may not be achieved.

As the acquisitions of the noncontrolling interests in our joint venture investments and our acquisition of Biogen Idec International Neuroscience GmbH occurred after January 1, 2009, we record contingent consideration liabilities at their fair value on the acquisition date and revalue these obligations each reporting period. For additional information related to these transactions please read Note 2, Acquisitions, to these consolidated financial statements.

In connection with our acquisition of Biogen Idec Hemophilia Inc. (BIH), formerly Syntonix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in January 2007, we agreed to pay up to an additional $80.0 million if certain milestone events associated with the development of BIH’s lead product, long-lasting recombinant Factor IX are achieved. The first $40.0 million contingent payment was achieved in the first quarter of 2010. An additional $20.0 million contingent payment will occur if prior to the tenth anniversary of the closing date, the FDA grants approval of a Biologic License Application for Factor IX. A second $20.0 million contingent payment will occur if prior to the tenth anniversary of the closing date, a marketing authorization is granted by the EMA for Factor IX. For additional information related to these transactions please read Note 2, Acquisitions to these consolidated financial statements.

In 2006, we acquired Fumapharm AG. As part of this acquisition we acquired FUMADERM and BG-12 (together, Fumapharm Products). We paid $220.0 million upon closing of the transaction and will pay an additional $15.0 million if a Fumapharm Product is approved for MS in the U.S. or E.U. We may also make additional milestone payments to Fumapharm AG based on the attainment of certain sales levels of Fumapharm Products, less certain costs as defined in the acquisition agreement. These milestone payments are considered contingent consideration and will be accounted for as an increase to goodwill as incurred, in accordance with the accounting standard applicable to business combinations when we acquired Fumapharm.