Cardiome Pharma Corp.'s strong Phase III data in June with intravenous vernakalant for atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery may have opened the door for off-label use in new-onset AF, and also may have cleared a somewhat smoother regulatory path for the product. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

A new federal rule issued last week was intended to make the patent examination process more efficient for the government, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) could wind up spending more time reviewing detailed documents from applicants, said a representative of the biotechnology industry. (BioWorld Today)