Company*
(Symbol)

Product

Description

Indication

Status
(Date)

CANCER

Antisoma plc (UK; LSE:ASM)

Pemtumomab

Formerly Theragyn; murine monoclonal antibody MHFG1, and chemical linker that binds to yttrium-90

Ovarian cancer

Granted orphan drug status in Europe (6/1)

Novuspharma SpA (Italy; Nuovo Mercato:NOV)

BBR 3438 and BBR 3576

Aza-anthrapyrazolic intercalating agents

Advanced gastric cancer

Company began recruitment for Phase II trials comparing the compounds (6/20**)

Progen Industries Ltd. (Australia; PGLAF)

PI-88

Anticancer therapeutic; sulfated oligosaccharide

Melanoma

Progen received hospital ethics committee approval for a Phase II trial (6/19)

Zeltia-PharmaMar (Spain; MSE:ZELTIA)

Ecteinascidin- 743 (ET-743)

Obtained from the tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata ­ the sea squirt

Soft-tissue sarcoma

ET-743 was granted orphan medicinal product designation in Europe (6/11)

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

NeuroSearch A/S (Denmark)*

NS2330

Therapeutic compound that increases the activity of acetylcholine, dopamine and noradrenaline

Alzheimer's disease

Phase II results indicated NS2330 was capable of improving cognitive function (6/8)

Viragen Inc. (AMEX:VRA)

Omniferon

Natural alpha interferon

Multiple sclerosis

Medicines Control Agency in the UK proved Viragen's application to begin human trials (6/21)

INFECTION

Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD)

Adefovir dipivoxil

Reverse transcriptase inhibitor

Chronic hepatitis B

Company initiated Phase I trials in China (6/11)

The Immune Response Corp. (IMNR)

Remune

HIV-1 immunogen

HIV

A Phase II study in Spain failed to meet its primary endpoint (6/1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Amgen Inc. (AMGN)

Aranesp

Darbepoetin alfa; an erythropoietic protein

Anemia in chronic kidney failure

European Commission approved Aranesp (6/11)

Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc (UK; LSE:CAT)

CAT-213

Human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes eotaxin (1); designed to inhibit the major stimulus that draws eosinophils to tissues

Allergy

Company began a Phase I trial (6/20**)

CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CGPI)

Periostat

Tablets; doxycycline hyclate

Periodontal disease

Company's subsidiary, Colla-Genex International Ltd., completed filings for registration in the European Union and Norway (6/18)

MedImmune Inc. (MEDI)

MEDI-507

Humanized monoclonal antibody against CD2 antigen receptor

Psoriasis

Company expanded clinical development in a Phase II trial in Europe (6/6)

Orphan Medical Inc. (ORPH)

Fomepizole formulation

Marketed as Antizol in the U.S.; synthetic alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor

Methanol poisoning

Granted orphan drug designation in Europe (6/13)

Notes:

* Privately held; ** Denotes the date the item ran in BioWorld International.

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