support clinical development of chemotherapeutic gold nanoparticles targeting ovarian, lung and breast carcinoma...Syndexa Pharmaceuticals Corp., of Watertown, Mass., secured additional Series B1 financing from MP Healthcare Venture Management (MPH), a jointly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) and Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation (MCHC...The company plans to use the proceeds to advance its hepatitis C virus program, earlier-stage pipeline opportunities and its

Acacia Pharma Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, said it started a Phase II study of APD421, a drug that comprises an intravenous formulation of a marketed dopamine D2 antagonist, in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting...Bionor Pharma ASA, of Oslo, Norway, and partners Eurocine Vaccines AB, of Solna, Sweden, and Oslo University Hospital reported that the nasal immunization study combining Bionor's Vacc-4x and Eurocine's adjuvant Endocine is fully enrolled...Additional data showed 69 percent of

Elevation holds the global rights to PARI Pharma's nebulizer and plans to take EP-101 – believed to be the first-in-class nebulized LAMA for COPD – worldwide...The offering is expected to be completed by Jan. 31 with the goal of supporting clinical trials of the company's HIV vaccines. (See BioWorld Today, Jan. 26, 2006...Lead QC inhibitor, PQ912, is in clinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

The company also said it inked a partnership with an undisclosed Pacific Rim pharma partner and investor to finance clinical costs, bridging studies and regulatory development for the drug in that region...Vivo said it plans to invest the capital primarily in later development-stage pharma and medical device companies in the U.S

The money will be used to support Acceleron's clinical and preclinical pipeline...Of the firm's four clinical compounds, two are partnered with Celgene: ACE-011 , now dubbed sotatercept, is in a Phase II/III trial for chemotherapy-induced anemia in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer and a Phase II trial for end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis, while ACE-536 moved into Phase I trials in September...Proceeds will allow Marina to continue advancing clinical trials of CEQ508 for

Stamford, Conn.-based Purdue Pharma LP's extended-release hydromorphone product Palladone was voluntarily removed from the market in July 2005 less than a year after approval because of a high occurrence of unintentional "dose-dumping" – when opioids are accidentally or intentionally crushed or dissolved, resulting in the active ingredient being rapidly released into the bloodstream, often causing a euphoric high...is an immediate-release version, which is sold by Purdue Pharma as Dilaudid...Net

Cerulean Pharma Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., closed a $15 million Series D financing with participation from new investor CVF LLC, an affiliate of Henry Crown and Co., of Chicago, and full participation from existing investors Polaris Venture Partners, Venrock, Lilly Ventures, Lux Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners...Cerulean also plans to advance its docetaxel nanopharmaceutical candidate into clinical trials and to pursue other platform expansion opportunities, including the delivery of RNA

AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., presented new clinical data for Feraheme (ferumoxytol), which is approved for iron deficiency anemia in chronic kidney disease...Clavis Pharma ASA, of Oslo, Norway, reported interim efficacy data from a Phase II trial showing that elacytarabine in combination with idarubicin produced a complete remission rate in about 46 percent (12 of 26) of patients with early stage acute myeloid leukemia who had failed cytarabine-containing first-course

Metabolex Inc., of Hayward, Calif., said an open-label clinical pharmacology study showed that the higher dose of arhalofenate plus Osaka, Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Co...Tranzyme Pharma Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., and Norgine BV, of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, completed patient enrollment in ULISES 007, the first of two pivotal Phase III studies of ulimorelin, an intravenous ghrelin agonist, for the acceleration of gastrointestinal recovery in patients undergoing partial bowel

Acacia Pharma Ltd., of Cambridge, Mass., reported Phase IIa data for APD209 in cancer cachexia, given to 13 patients with an average weight loss of 11.4 percent in the previous six months...Aesrx LLC, of Newton, Mass., said it started a clinical trial to test Aes-103, its anti-sickling agent, in healthy volunteers...Zealand Pharma A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, said partner Sanofi SA, of Paris, reported top-line results from the Phase III GetGoal Duo 1 study, which showed that once-daily GLP-1 inhibitor

The open-label study is designed to test safety, tolerability and clinical response activity of the drug in patients, 60 and older, who have relapsed or primary refractory disease...Zealand Pharma A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, said partner Sanofi SA, of Paris, presented new results from a four-week Phase II study showing that GLP-1 agonist Lyxumia (lixisenatide) produced significantly greater postprandial glucose lowering than Victoza (liraglutide, Novo Nordisk A/S) in patients with Type II diabetes

But, if data for INX-189 continue to flow positive, the company could find itself in an enviable position for a lucrative big pharma partnership or even an acquisition, as biopharma races to create the first all-oral, interferon-free HCV regimen...Proceeds will be used to accelerate the firm's drug development pipeline, including generating clinical data from partnerships in Russia and India.

In April, Aptalis Pharma Inc. (formerly Axcan Holdings Inc.), based in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, agreed to acquire the outstanding shares of Mpex and lead candidate, Aeroquin, an aerosol formulation of levofloxacin in Phase III trials for the treatment of pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis...We've got a fully formed clinical group here, so we'll be doing the clinical work in house," Burgess said

The company said proceeds from the IPO would see the company through 2013 and allow it to advance the TVI-Brain-1 clinical program, though additional financing would be needed to complete clinical trials of the compound...Affiris is developing peptide vaccines, including a vaccine for Parkinson's disease set to start Phase I testing in early 2012.

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa., reported that clinical practice data from the TRiUS (Testim Registry in the United States) study showed that daily administration of Testim 1 percent (testosterone gel) resulted in significantly improved sexual function and increased total testosterone levels in men with hypogonadism...Clinical follow-up, completed three months after the administration of PLX-PAD cells, noted statistically significant improvements in several parameters, including

Ampio Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Greenwood Village, Colo., reported positive results from the Ampion-In-Knee (AIK) clinical trial, showing the drug was well tolerated and reduced pain over and above steroids...The decision follows reports of laboratory abnormalities and adverse events in a subset of clinical trial participants...Solasia Pharma K.K., of Tokyo, reported that enrollment of a Phase I trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of darinaparsin injection (SP-02L) for the treatment of

Clavis Pharma ASA, of Oslo, Norway, established the cutoff level for defining hENT1 low vs...Low hENT1 levels have been correlated to poor clinical outcome with gemcitabine, the standard treatment for many solid tumors...PharmaGap Inc., of Ottawa, said it has chosen ovarian cancer as its target for clinical development of GAP-107B8

Add in large target markets and a cost-efficient clinical development path, and you've got a salve for many of the issues currently ailing other sectors of the drug industry...He previously headed Peplin Inc., which garnered positive data in its first pivotal trial of actinic keratosis drug PEP005 and was promptly acquired by LEO Pharma A/S for $287.5 million. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 4, 2009.) So Wiggans teamed up with scientist Eugene Bauer, who'd had similar experiences...QLT eventually spun-out

Complete cure is the primary clinical endpoint for the conduct of pivotal clinical trials seeking FDA approval, Topica said...Net proceeds will be used for clinical trials activities related to completion of enrollment and ongoing patient dosing for the trial testing davunetide in progressive supranuclear palsy, as well as for general corporate purposes and working capital