News

Ark Therapeutics drops Cerepro appeal

Country
United Kingdom

Ark Therapeutics Group Plc has dropped its appeal against a negative opinion from the European Medicines Agency for its gene therapy for brain cancer, Cerepro. It also announced that it is in talks about a possible takeover of the company. Ark disclosed the developments on 9 March 2010.

Recentin fails to meet primary endpoint in cancer trial

Country
United Kingdom

AstraZeneca Plc said that its candidate drug, Recentin (cediranib), for patients with first-line metastatic colorectal cancer, failed to meet its primary endpoint of non-inferiority in progression-free survival in a Phase 2/3 trial.

 

Roche and Biogen Idec suspend RA trials with ocrelizumab

Country
Switzerland

The Roche Group and Biogen Idec of the US have suspended clinical trials of the humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, ocrelizumab, in four rheumatoid arthritis trials because of safety issues. The drug was in Phase 2 and 3 trials.

 

Alzheimer’s drug fails at Phase 3

Country
United States

An investigational drug for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Dimebon (latrepirdine), has failed in a Phase 3 trial because it could not show statistically significant improvements in patients compared with placebo for cognition and global function.

Merck to acquire Millipore for $7.2 billion

Country
Germany

Merck KGaA of Germany has made an agreed bid for the US service provider, Millipore Corp, in a transaction valued at $7.2 billion, including net debt. The merged company is expected to have critical mass in bioresearch and bioprocessing.

EMA seeks to work with government payers

Country
United Kingdom

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is looking at ways it can work more closely with government bodies in Europe whose responsibility it is to decide whether or not to subsidize a new medicine based on its relative effectiveness.