• Creabilis SA, of Luxenbourg, reported Phase IIa results showing that lead product CT327, a topical TrkA kinase inhibitor, demonstrated a clinically significant improvement in symptoms of atopic dermatitis after eight days of treatment. The study enrolled 15 patients, with eight treated with 0.1 percent CT327 twice daily and seven receiving placebo and measured change in modified eczema area and severity index score compared to baseline. Additional data showed that onset of efficacy was seen at three days to five days of treatment, and the product was shown to be safe and well tolerated with no serious adverse events and no reported site irritation. CT327 also is in Phase IIa testing in psoriasis and pain.

• Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Bridgewater, N.J., started Phase I studies in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute to test two oncology candidates: EZN-2968 and EZN-2208 (PEG-SN38), both of which have been shown to down-modulate HIF-1 alpha. The first study is expected to enroll 22 patients and will test EZN-2968, an LNA-based antisense oligonucleotide, in patients with solid malignancies predominately involving the liver. The second trial will involve 20 patients and is designed to explore the modulation of HIF-1 alpha in solid tumors after treatment with topoisomerase inhibitor EZN-2208 combined with VEGF inhibitor Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech Inc./Roche AG).

• EpiCept Corp., of Tarrytown, N.Y., said the National Cancer Institute started a Phase II trial of crolibulin (EPC2407), a vascular-disrupting and apoptosis-inducing agent, in combination with cisplatin in patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer. The study is expected to enroll up to 70 patients and includes two stages, with the primary objective of the first stage to assess safety and tolerability of the combination regimen given in 21-day treatment cycles and primary objective of the second stage to compare the combination of crolibulin and cisplatin against cisplatin alone using progression-free survival as the endpoint. Secondary objectives include the comparison of response rates using RECIST criteria. Shares of EpiCept (NASDAQ:EPCT) gained 16 cents, or 23.4 percent, to close Wednesday at 86 cents.

• Immunovaccine Inc., of Halifax, Nova Scotia, said results from a Phase I trial showed that DPX-0907, a DepoVax-based therapeutic cancer vaccine for advanced breast, ovarian or prostate cancers, has resulted in no dose-limiting toxicities or serious adverse events. To date, 21 patients have been vaccinated and 14 have completed their scheduled treatments. Immunovaccine expects to complete enrollment this month, with additional safety and immunogenicity data available in the second quarter of 2011.

• Ipsen SA, of Paris, said chimeric compound BIM 23A760 missed its endpoint of showing inhibition of growth hormone and IGF-1 levels after repeat dosing in a Phase IIb study in acromegaly. The company is discontinuing development.

• Ocera Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, completed two studies of OCR-002, a drug designed to reduce toxic levels of ammonia in the blood, with trials including healthy volunteers and patients with liver cirrhosis. OCR-002 has orphan status and fast-track status in the U.S. for hyperammonemia and resultant hepatic encephalopathy. The company plans to start Phase II studies in 2011.

• Viron Therapeutics Inc., of London, Ontario, announced that the results of a Phase IIa trial for VT-111 were published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions. In the study, VT-111, also known as Serp-1, met both its primary and secondary endpoints of safety and biological activity in acute coronary syndrome patients receiving coronary stents. VT-111 is a protein produced by the myxoma virus that allows the virus to lower its host's inflammatory response to infection. Viron said it plans to continue further clinical testing in 2011 with a fully glycosylated version of the original drug that has shown significantly enhanced efficacy in animal models over the original drug with a similarly high margin of safety.