Company* (Symbol) | Product | Description | Indication | Status (Date) |
CANCER |
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Access Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AMEX:AKC) | AP 5280 | Polymer platinate; chemotherapeutic agent | Tumors | Company commenced Phase I study to determine dose; study will be conducted at two European sites (9/7) |
EntreMed Inc. (ENMD) | Endostatin | Naturally occurring inhibitor of angiogenesis | Cancer | Company initiated its fourth Phase I trial in the Netherlands (9/28) |
Ilex Oncology Inc. (ILXO) | NM-3 | Orally active small-molecule inhibitor of angiogenesis | Tumors | Company began clinical trials at a research institution in France (9/27) |
CARDIOVASCULAR |
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Medicure Inc. (CDNX:MPH) | Cardoxal | Oral therapeutic | Myocardial infarction and ischemia reperfusion injury | Company filed an IND with Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate (9/11) |
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM |
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Biogen Inc. (BGEN) | Avonex | Interferon beta-1a | Primary progressive multiple sclerosis | Company said Avonex has shown potential to affect PPMS in a randomized, controlled trial; data were presented at the 16th annual European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (9/11) |
Cephalon Inc. (CEPH) | Provigil (FDA-approved) | Modafinil; oral formulation of synthetic compound that is thought to affect alpha adrenergic receptors in the brain | Narcolepsy | Company launched modafinil in Switzerland (9/20) |
INFECTION |
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Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) | AmBisome | amphotericin B liposome for injection | Visceral leishmaniasis | Company announced promising results at ICAAC from a study in India showing 97% of patients were parasite free at 30 days post treatment (9/17) |
Maxim Pharmaceuticals Inc. (MAXM) | Maxamine combined with IFN-a | Histamine dihydrochloride; H2 receptor agonist | Hepatitis C | Company announced 48-week results from a Phase II study showing a complete viral response in 61% of all patients (9/14) |
Serono SA (NYSE:SRA) | Serostim | Recombinant human growth hormone product | AIDS wasting | The European Commission granted Orphan Medicinal Product designation to Serostim (9/13) |
SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SCLN) | Zadaxin | Thymosin alpha 1; synthetic version of naturally occurring peptide hormone thymosin (immunomodulator) | Hepatitis C | Company received expanded approval in Peru, in addition to hepatitis B (9/28) |
The Immune Response Corp. (IMNR) | Remune and HAART | HIV-1 Immunogen and highly active antiretroviral therapy | HIV | Remune is being tested with HAART to suppress the virus after complete treatment cessation; 150 patients are recruited in Australia, Europe and Canada (9/19) |
Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VIRS) | Coviracil, didanosine and efavirenz | Emtricitabine; antiviral nucleoside analogue | HIV | Researchers presented one-year results of a pilot study of a once-a-day HAART regimen combining coviracil with didanosine and efavirenz; data were presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America (9/11) |
MISCELLANEOUS |
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Gliatech Inc. (GLIA) | ADCON-L (FDA- approved) | Anti-adhesion barrier gel (semisynthetic carbohydrate polymer) | Inhibition of post-surgical scarring and adhesions following back surgery | The European Economic Area approved ADCON-L for distribution (9/20) |
Oxford Glycosciences plc* | Vevesca (OGT 918) | Oral capsule formulation of a glucosyltransferase inhibitor | Gaucher disease | Researchers presented data on 18 patients who continued an extension protocol at the end of the original study, at the 4th European Working Group on Gaucher Disease (9/8) |
Visible Genetics Inc. | Trugene HIV-1 Genotyping Kit | Designed to genetically decode the highly mutagenic HIV-1 from patient serum, identify mutations in the virus and indicate a treatment regimen | HIV | Results from a six-month, randomized study in Europe showed genotypic testing is beneficial; results were presented at ICAAC (9/18) |
