WASHINGTON - A U.S.-funded, Thailand-run, 16,000-patient Phase III study of Sanofi-Aventis Group SA's ALVAC HIV and VaxGen Inc.'s AIDSVAX B/E found that the prime-boost investigational vaccine regimen cut HIV infections by 31.2 percent - the first time an HIV vaccine candidate successfully reduced the risk of HIV infection in humans. (BioWorld Today)

New Phase III data presented at the 2009 ECCO-ESMO European Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin showed that Amgen Inc.'s Vectibix (panitumumab) plus chemotherapy used as a second-line treatment significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer compared with chemotherapy alone, 5.9 months vs. 3.9 months. (BioWorld Today)

Investors where fired up Thursday after XenoPort Inc. reported top-line Phase IIb results showing that its gabapentin prodrug significantly reduced neuropathic pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in adults, driving shares up 25.6 percent. (BioWorld Today)