While Oscient Pharmaceuticals Corp. missed its primary endpoint in a Phase II trial of Ramoplanin for the treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, the firm believes the trial's preliminary data are encouraging, and hopes to move into Phase III studies by the end of the year. (BioWorld Today)

As promised, Amgen Inc. began dosing patients in two pivotal Phase III trials of AMG 162, its fully human monoclonal antibody designed to treat post-menopausal osteoporosis (PMO) and treatment-induced bone loss. (BioWorld Today)

LONDON - Vernalis plc completed a trilogy of deals, announcing an Hsp90 cancer research collaboration with the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research to add to recent agreements with Biogen Idec Inc. and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BioWorld International)