Akela Pharma Inc. (formerly LAB International Inc.), of Montreal, initiated a Phase IIb asthma trial of CGRP, a 37 amino acid, natural neuropeptide produced in the lung in response to allergic stimuli...The ongoing Alferon N West Nile Virus study is the only well-controlled clinical study being conducted in the United States at this time, Hemispherx Biopharma said...Ltd., of Brisbane, Australia, announced that a Phase IIa clinical trial of intranasal oglufanide disodium to treat chronic hepatitis C

In her previous position at Apax Partners, Oliva invested in ESP Pharma, a company co-founded by Weisman and later sold to PDL BioPharma Inc...For now, the company is focused on products that have completed clinical development, but once the business model begins to turn a profit, Levine said EKR may look at Phase III and maybe even some Phase II products...The company's share price fell 72 cents, or 12 percent, to close at $5.25 on Wednesday.

Funds will be used to develop Atiprimod and L-Annamycin, two products in clinical trials for cancer indications...Callisto now plans to move Guanilib (SP-304), a drug candidate for gastrointestinal diseases, into clinical development...Azur Pharma Ltd., of Dublin, Ireland, completed a $48 million private placement, representing 28 percent of its outstanding shares

In its development pipeline, the company has started early clinical testing of Plasmin, a human plasma-derived thrombolytic...MND Diagnostic, of Tel Aviv, Israel, a start-up firm focused on detecting and identifying viruses, and NLC Pharma Inc., also of Israel, which develops solutions for treating viral outbreaks, completed a capital round of $4.7 million...The company filed for an IPO in late March, with hopes of raising $86 million to fund its ongoing work in RNA-interference. (See BioWorld Today

Among the new information was that ATC demonstrated significant clinical activity against a range of drug-resistant HIV, including HIV strains harboring the lamivudine-resistance mutation (M184...Tranzyme Pharma Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., started a Phase IIb trial of TZP-101, a ghrelin agonist, in postoperative ileus...Uluru Inc., of Addison, Texas, began a clinical study to evaluate the mobility of severely burned joints treated with its Hydrogel Nanoparticle Wound Dressing

ImmunoMod LLC, of Charleston, S.C., received an FDA Orphan Drug Grant award for a Type I diabetes therapeutic and is beginning its first clinical trials at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia...InterMune Inc., of Brisbane, Calif., earned a $10 million development milestone when its partner F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, reported it had submitted an amended clinical trial authorization in Europe, the final step before initiating a Phase Ib study of hepatitis C virus protease

Akela Pharma Inc., of Montreal, completed enrolling patients in its Fentanyl Taifun Phase IIb trial...unit of London-based AstraZeneca plc, presented interim clinical data suggesting that its monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-5 receptor was well tolerated and showed evidence of biological activity in a Phase I study of adults with mild asthma...Sygnis Pharma AG, of Heidelberg, Germany, said safety and tolerability were demonstrated in a 44-patient Phase IIa study of AX200 in stroke

Medarex Inc., of Princeton, said partner Novartis Pharma AG, of Basel, Switzerland, advanced ACZ885, a fully human anti-IL-1 beta antibody, into a Phase III trial for Muckle Wells syndrome, a rare inherited inflammatory condition...Preclinical and early clinical studies suggested that active levofloxacin concentrations in pulmonary tissues after MP-376 administration are increased compared to those achieved when the antibiotic is delivered by other routes of administration...The Phase Ib study is

BioLineRx Ltd., of Jerusalem, completed a study determining the clinical binding properties of BL-1020 to the dopamine receptors in the human brain...The study has shown that BL-1020, the first GABA enhanced antipsychotic clinical candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia, blocks dopamine receptors in the human brain, providing direct evidence of antipsychotic efficacy...Trion Pharma GmbH, of Munich, Germany, and Fresenius Group, of Bad Homburg, Germany, said further secondary endpoint data from a

A Phase I/II clinical trial is planned in rheumatoid arthritis patients for the fourth quarter of 2007, as is a separate multidose Phase I study of HE3286 for metabolic disorders under the company's open IND...LifeCycle Pharma A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, said it will initiate a Phase II trial of LCP-AtorFen, a fixed-dose combination of atorvastatin and fenofibrate, to treat high cholesterol levels...XOMA plans to initiate a European-based Phase I clinical trial of XOMA 052 in Type II diabetes patients

safety and immunogenicity study - a second key clinical trial designed to support the licensure - is expected to complete enrollment before the end of this month...LifeCycle Pharma, of Horsholm, Denmark, said it will initiate a Phase II trial of LCP-AtorFen, a fixed-dose combination of atorvastatin and fenofibrate, for the treatment of high cholesterol levels...Tranzyme Pharma Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., received fast-track designation from the FDA for its ghrelin agonist, TZP-101, for the

Medicure licensed Aggrastat, which is approved for acute coronary syndrome, from MGI Pharma Inc., of Bloomington, Minn. (See BioWorld Today, Aug. 10, 2006...Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tustin, Calif., has submitted a clinical protocol with the drug controller general of India for a Phase II trial of bavituximab in combination with chemotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

Kiadis Pharma BV, of Groningen, the Netherlands, said the U.S. National Institutes of Health will begin a Phase II trial with Kiadis' ATIR product...NexMed Inc., of East Windsor, N.J., said Novartis Pharma AG, of Basel, Switzerland, completed patient enrollment in Phase III trials of NM100060, a topical treatment for onychomycosis (nail fungus...Response Genetics Inc., of Los Angeles, said Phase III data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggested that low expression of the biomarker

Although preclinical and clinical data have indicated that OncoVEX GM-CSF can kill cells from eight types of cancer, Astley-Sparke said the company will not start trials in new indications but instead will focus on the pivotal work in melanoma...Bioxel Pharma Inc., of Ste-Foy, Quebec, filed for a proposed Canadian offering of units consisting of one common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant...This funding will allow Plethora to complete the clinical development and planned filing

However, founding CEO Tim Sharpington said that after reaching clinical proof of principle in the new indication, the aim will be to chemically modify compounds to produce novel chemical entities...Some we would expect to out-license at Phase II because they are big pharma plays, which a company like us would struggle to take to registration," Sharpington said...The company also appointed Lebovits as its president.

Pfizer's investment in the offering is about $6.5 million, and adds to the 22.5 million ordinary shares purchased by the pharma firm at the time of the agreement. (See BioWorld Today, April 5, 2007.) According to pSivida's prospectus, the company expects net proceeds to total $16.3 million, which will add to the $7.4 million in the bank as of March 31...Money also will be used to advance clinical development programs, pursue additional in-licensing opportunities and for other general corporate

4SC AG, of Planegg-Martinsried, Germany, has completed patient recruitment for the Phase IIa clinical trial with its drug candidate SC12267 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis...Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., presented data from four clinical trials showing that Velcade (bortezomib) in combination with various other cancer drugs improved survival and generated complete responses in first-line treatment of multiple myeloma...Speedel Holding AG, of Basel, Switzerland, said

If clinical trials demonstrate that, too, the commercial implications could be very significant...Bioxel Pharma Inc., of Ste-Foy, Quebec, entered an engagement letter with Paradigm Capital Inc...Rodman & Renshaw LLC acted as the lead placement agent. (See BioWorld Today, July 25, 2007.)

Advanced Viral Research Corp., of Yonkers, N.Y., said Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Division approved a clinical trial application to start studies of AVR118 in patients with histologically confirmed malignancies who present with clinically demonstrable anorexia or anorexia-cachexia syndrome...Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said a review of study reports for IPL455,903, a PDE4 inhibitor, showed that data might support further clinical studies, as well as