• American Biotech Labs, of Salt Lake City, reported positive results from a preliminary study of the effect of the company's ASAP 10 treatment on HIV-positive individuals. The study was conducted over four months with seven HIV-positive patients, each of whom was administered 15 ml of ABL ASAP 10 ppm (parts per million) four times daily. As a result of the treatment, the patients experienced an average body weight gain of 17.6 pounds and an average T-lymphocyte count increase of 180 per micro-liter (39.52 percent). Laboratory work also showed that the nanosilver particles could bind to HIV and potentially could block the viral entry into cells, eventually destroying the virus.

• Dynavax Technologies Corp., of Berkeley, Calif., and several Deerfield funds have terminated a $30 million loan agreement dating to July 2007 in exchange for Dynavax paying $816,500. The loan was tied to the progress of Tolamba, Dynavax's Toll-like receptor 9 agonist, which was shelved earlier this year after it failed to show statistical significance over placebo in reducing the nasal symptoms in ragweed allergy sufferers.

• MedMira Inc., of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Morningside Venture Investments Ltd. have closed C$650,000 (US$611,932) in convertible debenture financing. If the convertible debenture is converted into common shares and the share purchase warrant fully exercised, Morningside would be an 18.13 percent shareholder of MedMira.

• MolMed SpA, of Milan, Italy, said the FDA has granted orphan drug designation for its investigational new antitumor therapeutic drug NGR-hTNF (Arenegyr) in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The compound already has received orphan drug designation for malignant mesothelioma in the European Union. Preliminary Phase II study results showed evidence of substantial clinical benefits in terms of long-lasting disease control and promising survivals in chemo-pretreated mesothelioma patients, particularly in terms of improved overall survival, and with nearly doubled progression-free survival with respect to best supportive care data reported in literature, the company said. Consolidated results of the trial will be available in December.

• Mylan Inc., of Pittsburgh, said its subsidiary Alphapharm Pty Ltd. won a favorable decision in patent litigation against it and Barr Laboratories Inc., of Montvale, N.J., relating to Galantamine tablets, USP, the generic version of Raritan, N.J.-based Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Razadyne Tablets, 4 mg, 8 mg and 12 mg. Last Wednesday the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware invalidated the sole "Orange Book" patent asserted against Alphapharm by Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen LP and Synaptech Inc., of Spokane, Wash., Alphapharm was first to file an abbreviated new drug application, along with other generics companies, for Galantamine Tablets, Mylan said.

• Pharmos Corp., of Iselin, N.J., said effective Oct. 31, it will cease operations in Rehovot, Israel, and manage activities currently there out of the company's U.S. headquarters in Iselin. The research programs in Israel are the CB2 receptor selective library of compounds, including preclinical development of PRS-639,058 for neuropathic pain. Additionally the company has almost completed a Phase IIa trial with its 3 percent diclofenac NanoEmulsion cream for use as a topical treatment for osteoarthritis pain. The company's strategy is to seek a partner who will take the lead in both operating and funding the research programs in Israel.

• Oxford Biomedica, of Oxford, UK, appointed John Dawson acting chief executive after Mike McDonald, who took over the role in July, left the company. Dawson previously was chief financial officer at Cephalon Inc. and joined Oxford BioMedica as a nonexecutive director in July.