Celgene International Sarl, of Boudry, Switzerland, struck a blow against a notoriously difficult disease with positive overall survival results in a trial of Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel) in metastatic pancreatic cancer. Read More
Leading influenza researchers published a letter in the Jan. 24 and 25, 2013, issues of Nature and Science, respectively, declaring an end to a voluntary moratorium on research about how the H5N1 avian influenza could become easily transmissible from person to person, though with a notable exception: "Scientists should not restart their work in countries where, as yet, no decision has been reached on the conditions for H5N1 virus transmission research," they wrote in their letter. Read More
Stress levels for companies working on medical countermeasures (MCMs) took a welcome nosedive this week as the House overwhelmingly approved a bill to reauthorize the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Project BioShield. Read More
With data due from a pivotal Phase III trial of its lead drug candidate around midyear, Gene Signal International SA raised an undisclosed investment from its longstanding syndicate of private investors to keep its pipeline of antisense and peptide-based drugs moving forward. Read More
• Cytos Biotechnology Ltd., of Zurich, Switzerland, said partner Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, will discontinue development of NIC002, a therapeutic vaccine candidate for treating nicotine addiction. Read More
• EntreMed Inc., of Rockville, Md., said it started a Phase II study, titled "A Phase II Study of Oral ENMD-2076 Administered to Patients with Advanced/Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma." ENMD-2076 is designed to inhibit both Aurora kinase A and angiogenesis. Read More
• Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, said the FDA expanded the approved use of Exjade (deferasirox) to treat patients ages 10 and older who have chronic iron overload resulting from nontransfusion-dependent thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder. Read More
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., of Jerusalem, said top-line results of its Phase III program testing narcolepsy drug Nuvigil (armodafinil) as adjunct therapy in adults with major depression associated with bipolar I disorder showed that the drug produced a numerical improvement but did not reach statistical significance in meeting its primary endpoint – determining whether armodafinil treatment, at a dosage of 150 mg per day, is more effective than placebo as adjunct therapy to mood stabilizers and/or atypical antipsychotics. Read More
