Suzhou Zelgen Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. reported a phase III trial testing the company’s deuterium-substituted sorafenib derivative donafenib in patients with progressive locally advanced or metastatic radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer met its primary endpoint following a preplanned interim analysis which found the drug significantly prolonged median progression-free survival vs. a placebo.
Radiopharm Theranostics Ltd.’s phase II F-18 Pivalate positron emission tomography trial in brain metastases saw positive results with high uptake regardless of the origin of primary tumors, showing that Pivalate could be used to monitor brain metastases.
A new analysis of Actinogen Medical Ltd.’s phase II Xanadu trial showed that in biomarker-positive patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease there was a clear clinical effect with lead compound Xanamem not seen in the earlier trial.
Connect Biopharma Holding Ltd.’s IL-4Rα binding candidate, CBP-201, yielded positive data in a pivotal trial in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in China, positioning the company to engage with Chinese regulators in the next several months to discuss a potential NDA filing.
Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. reported top-line data from its phase II trial of Zilosul (pentosan polysulfate/PPS) that suggest the non-opioid treatment for knee osteoarthritis is effective in navigating pain management but also has the potential to be disease modifying.
Analysts were upbeat about positive results from Eisai Co Ltd. and Biogen Inc.’s phase III confirmatory Clarity Alzheimer’s disease (AD) trial of lecanemab that met both primary and secondary endpoints, and most agreed that the data should be enough to gain FDA approval for mild cognitive impairment due to AD.
Polaris Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s pegargiminase (pegylated arginine deiminase/ADI-PEG 20) met the primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in overall survival and the secondary endpoint of significant improvement in progression-free survival in patients enrolled in the pivotal phase II/III Atomic study in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Top-line phase III results showing Hutchmed Ltd.’s targeted therapy fruquintinib reduced the risks of death and disease progression by 34% and 68%, respectively, for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could “lay a solid foundation for Hutchmed to initiate discussions with regulatory authorities worldwide,” a spokesperson of Hutchmed, told BioWorld.
The May 2014 approval of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s Entyvio (vedolizumab) brought welcome news in the form of an important mechanism of action for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, but also means a burdensome course of administration – 30 minutes’ worth of infusion every six weeks, a drawback that other developers are trying to remedy. Standouts among the up-and-comers are Morphic Holding Inc., with an oral candidate that works through the same mechanism of action as Entyvio, and Protagonist Therapeutics Inc.
An investigational drug developed in Cuba for the potential treatment of Alzheimer´s and Parkinson's diseases has moved forward to phase III trials there, where scientists are optimistic about results of previous studies. The candidate, named Neuroepo and branded Neuralcim, was developed by the Center of Molecular Immunology (also known by its Spanish acronym CIM), a state-owned lab in the Caribbean nation.