Much awaited data from Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s pivotal study of macrocyclic antibiotic OPT-80 in the troublesome Clostridium difficile-based infection space did not disappoint investors, as top-line results showed that the drug not only met the primary endpoint of noninferiority compared to Vancocin but actually demonstrated superior activity to the marketed drug. (BioWorld Today)

SAN FRANCISCO - Over the last several years - really starting with the 1998 approval of Herceptin as the first successful targeted therapy to hit the market - cancer has become a more treatable disease. Even so, most of the achievements have come in the form of small disease progression-free increments and limited response rates.