Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Genzyme Corp.'s statin add-on mipomersen met its Phase III endpoint in the rare disorder homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (hoFH), but six trial dropouts from 34 patients bothered Wall Street. One was caused by hiked liver enzymes, which has been a problem in other studies, too. (BioWorld Today)

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s unveiling last week of the Phase III program for the protease inhibitor telaprevir - the latest volley in the battle for a better hepatitis C virus therapy - brought cheers, muted somewhat by the inclusion of a 48-week treatment study, added to the larger test lasting half that long. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

The decision last week by Novo Nordisk AS to drop its Phase III inhaled-insulin program mildly stung licensor Aradigm Corp., putting observers in mind of Pfizer Inc.'s dump of Exubera in October - a surprise maneuver that dented shares of partner Nektar Therapeutics Inc. - and leaving investors with chips on other, similar efforts waiting to exhale. Stay in or get out? (BioWorld Financial Watch)

The 22 percent-plus hit taken last week by ArQule Inc. last week signaled investor jitters on word that Stephen Hill, president and CEO, is stepping down as of March. Analysts sought to calm Wall Street, but observers hardly required long memories to recall the June 2006 case of Anadys Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BioWorld Financial Watch)