Lidak Pharmaceuticals released additional Phase II data on its study ofits anti-viral compound, Lidakol, that showed a beneficial effect on therelief of pain in genital herpes simplex virus infections.Three categories measured in the study _ involving 16 people givenLidakol and 19 placebos _ were from the beginning of treatment to:the first reduction of pain severity, the first loss of noticeable pain andcomplete and sustained elimination of all pain.In the first category, patients treated with Lidakol experienced theirfirst pain reduction in a mean time of less than one day, while placebo-treated patients took more than two days. The first absence ofnoticeable pain occurred within 2.6 days in Lidakol-treated patients vs.3.9 in placebos. And Lidakol treatment resulted in completeelimination of pain in 2.8 days vs. 4.1 days for the placebos. Therewere not enough patients tested in the latter two categories to achievestatistical significance, Michael Lorber, Lidak's president and chieffinancial officer, told BioWorld.Lorber said plans are under way for a Phase III trial that could include300 to 400 patients.There are two other Phase II trials involving the topical formulation. AEuropean trial testing patients with recurrent oral herpes has beencompleted. Results are expected this summer from a U.S. trial for thesame indication. _ Jim Shrine

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