Earlier this month, powerhouse Genzyme Corp. disclosed its launch of Phase III trials with the toxin binder tolevamer for patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea - a compound that derives from the same platform that yielded Renagel, the phosphate binder approved for end-stage renal disease that pulled in $364 million in revenue last year, up 29 percent over 2003. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

Further bolstering the companies' hopes that the withdrawn multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri might one day become available again, Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Corp. plc disclosed full two-year data from their Phase III monotherapy trial with the compound. (BioWorld Today)

As expected, Celgene Corp. finished its rolling new drug application for Revlimid, asking for the FDA's approval based on Phase II data with the compound for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) in transfusion-dependent patients with a 5q-deletion chromosomal abnormality. (BioWorld Today)