• Ablynx NV, of Ghent Belgium, has begun a Phase II study for its antithrombotic Nanobody ALX-0081, a first-in-class nanobody targeting von Willebrand Factor. The open-label, randomized study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of multiple doses of ALX-0081 vs. the GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor ReoPro in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients with unstable angina or patients with stable angina with at least two factors indicating high risk will be included in the study.

• Antisoma plc, of London, said the ATTRACT-1 Phase III trial of its tumor vasculature disrupting agent ASA404 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has reached its enrollment target of 1,200 patients. The trial is the single pivotal registration study for the drug as a first-line treatment for squamous and nonsquamous NSCLC, and is being conducted by Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, Antisoma's development and commercialization partner for ASA404. The company expects results will be available in time to support potential marketing applications in 2011.

• Kowa Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, presented data showing that pitavastatin is noninferior to atorvastatin and simvastatin at usual therapeutic doses in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia or combined dyslipidemia, as measured by reduction of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from baseline. LDL-C target attainment data were similar when comparing pitavastatin to atorvastatin and simvastatin, although pitavastatin demonstrated significantly higher LDL-C target attainment compared to simvastatin in the lower dose study-arm (pitavastatin 2 mg vs. simvastatin 20 mg) (p = 0.047). Continued gradual increases in high density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed over the long-term, supported by data from a 52 week extension study. Pitavastatin also demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile to 52 weeks. Data were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona, Spain.