Chemex Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Friday it was discontinuing clinicaldevelopment of its platelet activating factor antagonist, TCV-309, fortreatment of atopic dermatitis. Results of a pilot clinical study of the gelformulation did not show sufficient efficacy, the Fort Lee, N.J.,company said.Development of the compound, on license from Takeda ChemicalIndustries, was halted in July 1993 for treatment of psoriasis after aPhase I trial. TCV-309 did demonstrate some beneficial effects, but notenough to warrant further cost expenditures.Len Stigliano, chief financial officer of Chemex, told BioWorld thatTCV-309 was a low priority relative the rest of the company's productportfolio."We figured we'd try it on atopic dermatitis before we scrapped it,"Stigliano said. "It was a small (14 patients), relatively inexpensivestudy." He said there are no other plans at this time for TCV-309.Chemex has another product in clinicals for atopic dermatitis. Thecompany is in the process of enrolling adults for a Phase I/II study forEPC-K1, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent that links vitamins Cand E. Senju Pharmaceuticals of Japan granted an exclusive worldwidedermatological license for EPC-K1 to a joint venture that includesChemex and Block Drug Co. Inc. of Jersey City, N.J. _ Jim Shrine

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