News

Gene therapy achieves a milestone in Parkinson’s disease

Country
United States

A Phase 2 study of a gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease has met its primary endpoint for efficacy and demonstrated safety. The results have been published on-line in The Lancet Neurology, according to the sponsor, Neurologix Inc.

EMA and FDA to collaborate on quality assessments

The European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration have announced plans to increase the efficiency of the drug regulatory process by evaluating, in parallel, the quality components of certain new drug applications.

Novartis says JAK inhibitor meets primary endpoint

Country
Switzerland

Novartis said that its Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, ruxolitinib, has met its primary endpoint of significantly reducing spleen size in patients with myelofibrosis, a blood cancer characterised by bone marrow failure, in a second Phase 3 trial.

Chroma Therapeutics partners tosedostat

Country
United Kingdom

Chroma Therapeutics Ltd is set to receive $5 million upfront from Cell Therapeutics Inc of Seattle, Washington has part of a co-development and licensing agreement for the candidate cancer drug, tosedostat. The drug is being tested in AML.

Otelixizumab fails in diabetes trial

Country
United States

Tolerx Inc and GlaxoSmithKline Plc announced that a Phase 3 trial of otelixizumab for patients with new-onset Type 1 diabetes did not meet the primary efficacy endpoint of change in C-peptide, a marker of beta cell function, at 12 months.

Aflibercept fails in NSCLC trial

Country
France

Sanofi-Aventis SA and its partner, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, have announced that their Phase 3 trial of the candidate drug, aflibercept, for second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, combined with docetaxel, did not extend overall survival.

FDA takes action against McNeil-PPC on GMP violations

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration announced that it has taken action against the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, McNeil-PPC, for failing to comply with current good manufacturing practice requirements at three sites.

Bavarian Nordic considers rights issue

Country
Denmark

Bavarian Nordic A/S is considering a rights issue to help finance a Phase 3 trial of its therapeutic vaccine for prostate cancer, Prostvac. The Danish company earlier reached an agreement with the FDA on the design and endpoints for a pivotal study.

Evotec in diabetes research deal

Country
Germany

Evotec AG has announced the establishment of a research collaboration with Harvard University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the US to discover and develop new treatments for diabetes. Financial terms were not disclosed.