The following clinical results were presented at the Digestive Disease Week 2010 conference in New Orleans.

• Ocera Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, presented results from a Phase II proof-of-concept study of AST-120 (spherical carbon adsorbent) in the treatment of patients with nonconstipating irritable bowel syndrome. Data showed that subjects treated with AST-120 responded in a consistent manner with reduction in pain better than placebo at week four and at week eight, the primary time point for analysis. The company plans to initiate a Phase IIb study evaluating AST-120 in nonconstipating IBS.

• OncoMethylome Sciences, of Durham, N.C., said the combination of a DNA methylation biomarker with a commercially available fecal immunochemical test is showing excellent potential as a non-invasive and accurate screening test for colorectal cancer. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined test are both more than 90 percent while also detecting a high percentage of early stage cancers, the company said.

• Prometheus Laboratories Inc., of San Diego, announced new findings supporting an algorithm-based biomarker test that helps clinicians predict the risk of developing aggressive disease in patients with Crohn's disease. The results were from a cross-sectional study in which six serologic markers and three genetic mutation markers were analyzed to help identify patients who are at risk for a more severe course of disease over time. The study showed that by combining serologic and genetic markers with clinical parameters, disease severity can be accurately predicted, the firm said.

• Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp., of Novato, Calif., announced positive Phase IIa results from its pilot study of delayed-release cysteamine bitartrate in 11 adolescent patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Patients showed a marked decline in alanine transaminase levels during the treatment period with seven of 11 patients achieving a greater than 50 percent reduction and six of 11 reduced to within normal range. Aspartate aminotransferase levels also saw significant improvements with patients averaging 41 percent reduction by the end of the treatment phase. The reduction in liver enzymes was largely sustained during the six-month post-treatment monitoring phase.