Company*
(Country;
Symbol)

Product

Description

Indication

Status (Date)


AUTOIMMUNE

Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc (UK; CATG; LSE:CAT) and Abbott Laboratories

Humira (FDA-approved) antagonist

Adalimumab; human monoclonal antibody; tumor necrosis factor alpha

Adult rheumatoid arthritis

European Medicines Evaluation Agency granted a positive opinion on Humira (5/22)

 

Centocor Inc. (unit of Johnson & Johnson) and Schering- Plough Corp.

Remicade (FDA-approved)

Infliximab; monoclonal antibody that specifically targets and irreversibly binds to TNF-alpha

Ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease

Companies received European Union approval of Remicade (5/21)

 

CANCER

Altachem Pharma Ltd. (Canada; VSE:AAF)

ACP-HIP

A natural compound throught to be active against the causative viral agent of Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcoma

Company will begin a Phase I trial in Canada (5/13)

 

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Canada; TSE:ONC)

Reolysin

A human, reovirus-based product

Recurrent malignant glioma

Enrollment resumed in a Phase I trial in Canada (5/7)

 

Viventia Biotech Inc. (Canada; TSE:VBI)

VB4-845

Armed Antibodies targeted therapeutic candidate, designed to deliver potent cytotoxic agents directly to tumors

Head and neck cancer

Company will begin a Phase I trial in Switzerland (5/6)

 

INFECTION

Corixa Corp. (CRXA) and GlaxoSmithKline plc (UK)

Fendrix

Vaccine that includes the GSK Bio Hepatitis B antigen with the addition of Corixa's MPL adjuvant

Hepatitis B

GlaxoSmithKline filed for European approval (5/13)

 

Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) 

Viread (FDA-approved)

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

HIV

European regulatory authorities expanded the indication to include Viread's use in antiretroviral-naive HIV infected patients (5/27)

 

Immtech International Inc. (IMMT)

DB289 compound

Oral anti-infective; dicationic pharmaceutical

Malaria

Company is beginning a Phase IIa trial in Thailand (5/15)

 

Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (SLXP)

Rifaximin

Gastrointestinal tractrestricted antibiotic

Travelers' diarrhea

Company completed enrollment in a Phase III trial with 400 adults in Mexico, Guatemala, India and Peru (5/14)

 

Trimeris Inc. (TRMS) and Hoffmann- La Roche Inc.

Fuzeon (FDA-approved)

Enfuvirtide; fusion inhibitor

HIV

European Commission approved Fuzeon (5/28)

 

Vicuron
Pharmaceuticals
Inc.
(MICU)

Dalbavancin

A next-generation glycopeptide agent that belongs to the same class as vancomycin

Deep skin and soft tissue infections

Phase II data showed a once-weekly dose of dalbavancin was effective and well tolerated over two weeks (5/12)

 

MISCELLANEOUS

Novogen Ltd.
(NVGN)

Glucoprime

A skin-ulcer repair compound

Skin ulcer

Company began a Phase II trial at three sites in Australia (5/8)

 

Sangart Inc.*

Hemospan

Hemoglobin-based red blood cell substitute

Patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgeries

Company began a Phase Ib/II trial of Hemospan (5/8)


Notes:

* Privately held

Unless otherwise noted, the stock symbols listed for public companies are on the Nasdaq market.

LSE = London Stock Exchange; TSE = Toronto Stock Exchange; VSE = Vancouver Stock Exchange.