GlaxoSmithKline Plc has announced the start of two Phase 3 studies that will evaluate the effectiveness of a new combination therapy for the treatment of patients with BRAF-positive metastatic cutaneous melanoma. The studies will also look at safety.
H. Lundbeck A/S said that its experimental treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, Lu AE58054, met its primary endpoint in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study of 278 patients with moderate disease already being treated with donepezil. Full data will be disclosed at upcoming medical meetings.
Ensemble Therapeutics Corporation and Genentech (Roche) have entered into a collaboration to discover new drug candidates using the US company’s macrocyclic technology platform. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The Karolinska University Hospital and GE Healthcare Life Sciences have started a joint research collaboration to address some of the issues associated with the manufacture and development of new cell therapies. Financial terms weren’t given.
The European Commission and the pharmaceutical industry have committed €223.7 million to research new antibiotic medicines in the first of several projects to be carried under the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).
A Phase 3 trial of Nexavar (sorafenib) in patients with advanced, relapsed non-small cell lung cancer has failed to meet its primary endpoint of improving overall survival, according to Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc.
H. Lundbeck A/S said that top-line results from three recently completed Phase 3 trials of its investigational drug for major depressive disorder, Lu AA21004, showed statistically significant reductions in depression symptoms in patients.
The Roche group has stopped a Phase 3 trial of dalcetrapib, a novel treatment for patients with dyslipidemia due to the lack of clinically meaningful efficacy. The decision was taken on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring board.
Novartis said that a Phase 3 trial of its new drug for acromegaly, pasireotide, is superior to the current standard of care for the disease. The current standard of care, Sandostatin (octreotide), is an older Novartis medicine.
New research has been published in Nature suggesting that the peptide pyroglutamate amyloid beta may play a crucial role in the initiation of Alzheimer’s disease. The research was conducted by scientists at Probiodrug AG and their academic partners.