Company* | Product | Description | Indication | Status |
(Symbol) | (Date) |
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CANCER |
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Ark Therapeutics Ltd. (UK)* | EG009 | Combination of a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene in a modified adenoviral delivery vector, and ganciclovir | Malignant glioma | Phase I/IIa trial showed the therapy doubled patient survival time (4/4) |
Bavarian Nordic Research Institute A/S (Denmark; CSE:BAVA) | MVA-BN tyr vaccine | Orthopox vaccine | Late-stage melanoma | Company said primary data of its first clinical study showed the vaccine activates patients' immune systems to fight cancer cells; study was conducted in Italy (4/18) |
Cell Therapeutics Inc. (CTIC) | Trisenox | Aresenic trioxide injection | Multiple myeloma and myelodysplatic syndrome | European Commission granted orphan medicinal product designation (4/4) |
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LGND) | Targretin | Capsules; bexarotene; synthetic retinoid analogue that selectively activates retinoid X receptors | Cancer | Company was granted marketing approval in Europe; company also submitted an application to market Targretin 1% gel in Europe (4/3) |
MGI Pharma Inc. (MOGN) | MGI-114 | Irofulven; hydroxymethylacylfulvene | Cancer | Company initiated an additional Phase II trial in Europe testing irofulven as a single agent and in combination with prednisone (4/12) |
PhotoCure ASA (Norway; OSE:PHO) | Metvix PDT | Photodynamic therapy involving a cream that is activated by light | Basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis | Company submitted a marketing authorization application in New Zealand (4/26) |
Progen Industries Ltd. (Australia; PGLAF) and Medigen Biotechnology Corp. (Taiwan)* | PI-88 | Anticancer agent; sulfated oligosaccharide | Cancer | Medigen received approval to begin a Phase Ib trial (4/11) |
Vasogen Inc. (Canada; AMEX:MEW; TSE:VAS) | Immune modulation therapy | Chronic lymphocytic leukemia | Company received approval from Health Canada to proceed with a clinical trial (4/5) |
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CARDIOVASCULAR |
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Hemosol Inc. (Canada; HMSL; TSE:HML) | Hemolink | Human hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier use to avoid or reduce the use of donor red blood cells | Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery | Health Canada completed its first review of the company's new drug submission (4/26) |
Medicure Inc. (Canada; CDNX: MPH) | MC-1 | Cardiovascular drug | Heart attack and patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery | Company completed a Phase I trial (4/19) |
Nortran Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Canada; OTC BB:NTRDF; TSE:NRT) | RSD1235 | Anti-arrhythmic drug | Acute arterial fibrillation | Company began a Phase I trial (4/12) |
ThromboGenics Ltd. (Ireland)* | SY162 | Clot-dissolving agent | Central venous catheter occlusion and acute peripheral arterial occlusive disease | Company initiated two Phase II trials (4/19) |
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DIABETES |
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Organogenesis Inc. (AMEX:ORG) | Apligraf | Living human skin equivalent, composed of living human keratinocytes and fibroblasts | Diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers | Company submitted a European marketing application for Apligraf (4/17) |
Senetek plc (SNTKY) | Invicorp | Combination of vasoactive intestinal peptide with 1 to 2 mg of phentolamine mesylate | Erectile dysfunction associated with diabetes | Company said a study in England showed a 77% response rate in 23 patients who took Invicorp, compared to a 19% rate in the placebo group (4/23) |
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INFECTION |
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Biovector Therapeutics SA (France)* | VAC12 | Anti-HIV vaccine; mixture of four new-generation lipopeptides with HIV epitopes, co-linearly linked to a tetanic toxoid epitope | HIV | Company began a Phase I study in France (4/26) |
Chiron Corp. (CHIR) | Menjugate | A conjugate vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis sero group C | Meningococcal disease | Company gained approval for Menjugate in Canada (4/25) |
SkyePharma plc (UK; SKYE; LSE:SKP) | DepoCyte | Injectable, sustained-release form of the chemotherapeutic cytarabine | Lymphomatous meningitis | Company was granted pan-European marketing approval (4/4**) |
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MISCELLANEOUS |
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Biopure Corp. (BPUR) | Hemopure | An oxygen therapeutic; hemoglobin glutamer-250 (bovine) | Acute anemia and avoidance of the need for donor red blood cells in adult surgery patients | South Africa's Medicines Control Council approved Hemopure (4/10) |
DUSA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (DUSA) | Levulan | Aminolevulinic acid HCl photodynamic therapy | Dysplastic Barrett's esophagus | Independent investigators in the UK initiated a new study to determine the effect of varying drug concentrations on the ability of Levulan to treat the condition (4/6) |
Imagenetix Inc. (OTC BB:IAGX) | CMC | Fatty acid ester complex capsules | Osteoarthritis | Data from a trial in India indicated CMC statistically significantly reduced pain, improved flexibility and enhanced quality of life (4/2) |
International Wex Technologies Inc. (Canada; CDNX:WXI) | Tetrodin | Non-narcotic pharmaceutical developed from a naturally occurring organic substance | Opiate withdrawal and pain management | Company received a "no objection" letter allowing the company to proceed with Phase Ib and Ic trials (4/6) |
MedImmune Inc. (MEDI) | MEDI-507 | Humanized monoclonal antibody against CD2 antigen receptor found on T cells and natural killer cells | Psoriasis | Company initiated a Phase II trial in Europe (4/2) |
NicOx SA (France; Nouveau Marche:NICOX) | HCT-1026 | Nitric oxide-releasing derivative of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug flurbiprofen | Drug-induced prolonged contact urticaria | Phase I/II results were positive with potent anti-inflammatory activity (4/24) |
Senetek plc (SNTKY) | Invicorp | Combination of vasoactive intestinal peptide with 1 or 2 mg of phentolamine mesylate | Erectile dysfunction | Company said a European study of 21 patients showed the product is well tolerated in patients with high blood pressure (4/20) |
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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. | ||||
AMEX = American Stock Exchange; CDNX = Canadian Venture Exchange; CSE = Copenhagen Stock Exchange; LSE = London Stock Exchange; OSE = Norwegian Stock Exchange; OTC BB = Over the Counter Bulletin Board; TSE = Toronto Stock Exchange |