Shares in 4SC AG dropped 36 percent Wednesday on news that its orally available drug vidofludimus missed the primary endpoint of a Phase IIb clinical trial in rheumatoid arthritis, dashing investor hopes of a near-term deal. Read More
Intercell AG's prophylactic vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus infections is out of the picture, two months after a Phase II/III study was halted for futility, with the news sending shares of the Austrian biotech falling 22 percent. Read More
Somaxon Pharmaceuticals Inc. investors may have slept better following the San Diego company's announcement that Paladin Labs Inc., of Montreal, will commercialize Silenor (doxepin) for the treatment of insomnia in Canada, South America and Africa. Read More
Affectis Pharmaceuticals AG signed on with Merck Serono to develop neurology compounds targeting P2X7 receptors, a calcium channel thought to play a role in neuroprotection. Affectis has been developing the P2X7 receptor as a target for depression and some other related indications. Read More
• Morphotek Inc., of Exton, Pa., a subsidiary of Eisai Inc., said the FDA granted orphan designation to two of its cancer drugs, MORAb-004 in soft-tissue sarcoma and MORAb-066 in pancreatic cancer. Orphan designation will guarantee seven years of marketing exclusivity upon approval. MORAb-004, a humanized monoclonal antibody to endosialin/tumor endothelial marker-1, is in a Phase I study, while MORAb-066, a humanized monoclonal antibody to tissue factor, is in preclinical testing. Read More
• PharmaMar, a subsidiary of Zeltia SA, based in Madrid, began a Phase II trial of its pancreatic cancer candidate, PM001183. The trial will enroll between 21 and 43 adults with metastatic exocrine pancreatic cancer who have failed standard therapy. Read More
