• BioSyntech Inc., of Laval, Quebec, will conclude enrollment next month for the Canadian-European pivotal trial of its cartilage repair device BST-CarGel. To date the company has enrolled more than 70 subjects into the randomized trial, which compares the treatment of cartilage lesions using BST-CarGel applied following microfracture to treatment with microfracture alone. The trial is enrolling subjects ages 18 to 55 with focal cartilage lesions less than 10 cm2 located on the femoral condyles of the knee.

• Halozyme Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said partner F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, has dosed the first patient in a Phase I pharmacokinetic trial with a subcutaneous formulation using Enhanze Technology of a biologic directed to a second Roche target. That has triggered an undisclosed milestone payment to Halozyme.

• Immuron Ltd., of San Francisco, announced approval for a Phase II study in HIV/AIDS patients of its BioGard hyperimmune bovine colostrum powder formulation to decrease translocation of gut-derived microbial products and decrease immune activation in patients with early stage HIV infection. The study is being conducted by the Center for AIDS Research. The study will begin sometime this quarter.

• Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, said encouraging Phase II results of its anti-Parkinson's disease drug KW-6002 (istradefylline) warrant moving it into a Phase III trial in Japan. KW-6002 antagonizes the adenosine A2A receptor. The firm submitted a new drug application to the FDA in April 2007 and received an action letter in February 2008. Kyowa decided to await the results of the ongoing Japanese Phase IIb study of KW-6002 as adjunctive therapy to Levodopa, and those results demonstrated the efficacy of KW-6002 compared with placebo, warranting further clinical investigation in Japan, the company said.

• Lipoxen plc, of London, reported encouraging interim Phase I trial results on its long-acting erythropoietin candidate ErepoXen. Those results showed the product candidate to have an excellent safety profile and suggested that it may be suitable for administration on a once-monthly basis. ErepoXen is being developed to treat anemia in patients receiving renal dialysis. The interim Phase I trial results are based on 48 healthy adult males, 36 of whom received ErepoXen, while 12 received placebo. Complete results are expected to be released in coming months.