Gemphire Therapeutics Inc.'s gemcabene has been given to about 1,200 adult patients in 25 phase I and phase II trials for up to 12 weeks without any drug-related severe adverse events, but that winning safety streak came to an abrupt and puzzling end as the data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) overseeing a phase IIa study in pediatric subjects recommended the study be stopped because patients apparently were getting sicker.