• Asubio Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Paramus, N.J., expanded enrollment for its ASCENT-ASCI (Asubio Spinal Cord Early Neuro-recovery Treatment for Acute Spinal Cord Injury) trial to include AIS A, B and C injury to the cervical spine. ASCENT-ASCI is a Phase II trial evaluating SUN13837, an investigational medication being developed to improve neurological function in patients with newly diagnosed acute spinal cord injury. Experimental evidence has shown SUN13837 to have both neuroprotective and axonal outgrowth properties using both in vitro studies and animal models of spinal cord injury.

• Bayer HealthCare, of Wayne, N.J., has started to enroll patients in an international Phase II/III trial to evaluate its investigational compound BAY94-9027 for the treatment of hemophilia A in children. The PROTECT VIII (PROphylaxis in hemophilia A patienTs via directly pEgylated long-aCTing rFVIII) Kids trial is designed to determine the effects of BAY94-9027, a recombinant human factor VIII, when used as prophylaxis, dosed at least once weekly and as on-demand for acute bleeding events. BAY94-9027 has been designed to extend the circulating half-life of rFVIII through site specific attachment of a polyethylene glycol polymer to the light chain of the rFVIII molecule, while preserving its full biologic activity.