Company*
(Country; Symbol)

Product

Description

Indication

Status (Date)

AUTOIMMUNE

Tularik Inc.
(TLRK) and ChemoCentryx Inc.*

T487

Orally active small-molecule agent
that targets a cell-surface protein involved in the inflammatory response

Rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease
and psoriasis

Companies began a Phase I trial in 30 healthy volunteers in the UK (9/17)

CANCER

Dendreon Corp.
(DNDN) and Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Mylovenge

Vaccine designed
to trigger the immune system

Multiple myeloma

Companies began Phase II studies in Japan (9/5)

Marshall Edwards
Inc. (subsidiary of Novogen Ltd.; Australia; NVGN)

Phenoxodiol

Targets death receptor mechanisms

Leukemia

Company entered a Phase II trial in Australia (9/24)

SciClone
Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SCLN) and Sigma-Tau SpA (Italy)

Zadaxin

Thymalfasin, thymosin
alpha 1

Malignant melanoma

Companies began a large Phase II trial in Europe using Zadaxin in combination with chemotherapy (9/9)

CARDIOVASCULAR

Dyax Corp.
(DYAX)

DX-88

A small protein that inhibits an enzyme in the blood called kallikrein

Acute hereditary angioedema

Phase II results showed that all five patients enrolled in the trial responded favorably and tolerated DX-88 well, except for one patient who had allergies; the trial is being conducted in Europe (9/25)

Genzyme
General (GENZ)

Cholestagel

A nonabsorbed cholesterol-lowering agent

Primary hyper-
cholesterolemia

Company filed with European authorities for approval to market Cholestagel (9/26)

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Paladin Labs
Inc. (Canada; TSE:PLB)

Statex SR

Sustained-release morphine sulfate tablets

Severe pain

Company filed with Canadian authorities a new drug sub- mission (9/5)

DIABETES

Transition Therapeutics
Inc. (Canada; TSE:TTH)

Islet Neogenesis Therapy

Stimulates the
body to regenerate insulin-producing cells and reduces diabetic symptoms

Diabetes

Company is starting a Phase I trial in the UK (9/20)

MISCELLANEOUS

Adprotech Ltd.*
(UK)

APT070

Naturally occurring complement inhibitor protein, which identifies cells as nonforeign and protects them from system attack

To prevent graft dysfunction in kidney transplantation

European regulatory authorities granted orphan drug designation to APT070 (9/9)

NexMed Inc.
(NEXM)

Befar

Alprostadil cream com- bined with NexACT transdermal penetration enhancing technology

Erectile
dysfunction

An open-label study in Hong Kong of Befar cream in 40 patients showed that 67.5% reported satisfaction with treatment (9/17)

Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RIGL)

R112

A product designed to inhibit the activation of mast cells

Allergic rhinitis

Company began in the UK Phase I testing (9/18)

Notes:

* Privately held

** Denotes the date the item ran in BioWorld International.

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

TSE = Toronto Stock Exchange