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Fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 results announced by Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of clinical-stage products for central nervous system disorders, today announced financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2009.

16 Feb 2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announces fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 financial results

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today reported record results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009.

16 Feb 2010

Positive results from Naurex's Phase I clinical trial of GLYX-13 reported

Naurex Inc., a clinical stage company developing innovative treatments for depression and other CNS disorders based on its novel glycine site functional partial agonist (GFPA) NMDA receptor modulators, today reported positive top-line results from its Phase I clinical trial of lead compound GLYX-13.

10 Feb 2010

Merck's asthma drug formoterol/mometasone to garner global peak year sales of more than $250M

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, following its expected launch this year for the treatment of asthma, Merck's formoterol/mometasone will garner peak year sales of more than $250 million in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

9 Feb 2010

Positive data from Cara Therapeutics' peripherally-restricted kappa opioid agonist Phase II trial

Cara Therapeutics, Inc. today announced positive data in a Phase II proof-of-concept clinical trial of its peripherally-restricted kappa opioid agonist, CR845. The 46 patient Phase II, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted at eight hospitals in the United States and evaluated the efficacy and safety of CR845 in women following laparoscopic-assisted hysterectomy.

9 Feb 2010

Researchers uncover new mechanism to protect individuals from serious complications of obesity

Although obesity is a risk factor for diabetes and coronary heart disease worldwide, only some obese individuals go on to develop these metabolic complications, while others are relatively protected. Defining these protective factors could help scientists prevent disease in the wider population.

4 Feb 2010

Ipsen launches Decapeptyl LP 22.5 mg in France

Ipsen, an innovation-driven global specialty pharmaceutical group and Debiopharm Group (Debiopharm), a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies with a focus on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs, announce the launch by Ipsen in France of Decapeptyl(R) LP 22.5 mg 6-month sustained-release formulation for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic hormone-dependent prostate cancer.

4 Feb 2010

Interim positive data from Phase IIa clinical study of SYN115 for Parkinson’s disease

Synosia Therapeutics today announced interim positive data from a Phase IIa clinical study of an adenosine 2a (A2a) receptor antagonist (SYN115) in Parkinson’s disease.

1 Feb 2010

Ligand Pharmaceuticals acquires Metabasis Therapeutics

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced that it has completed the acquisition of Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MBRX), following approval of the transaction by Metabasis stockholders yesterday. As a result, Ligand gains a fully funded partnership with Roche, additional pipeline assets and drug discovery technologies and resources. The transaction was first announced on October 27, 2009.

28 Jan 2010

NIDA supports Omeros' Addiction program

Omeros Corporation today announced that the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is providing support for the Company's Addiction program. NIDA will fund substantially all of the costs of a Phase 2 clinical study to be conducted by New York State Psychiatric Institute researchers.

28 Jan 2010

Merck receives marketing authorization for ELONVA

Merck & Co., Inc., which operates outside the U.S. and Canada as MSD, today announced the European Commission (EC) approval of ELONVA® (corifollitropin alfa injection). ELONVA is indicated for controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in combination with a GnRH antagonist for the development of multiple follicles in women participating in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) program.

28 Jan 2010

FDA approves Victoza to treat type 2 diabetes in some adults

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Victoza (liraglutide), a once-daily injection to treat type 2 diabetes in some adults.

27 Jan 2010

FDA approves Novo Nordisk's Victoza for type 2 diabetes

Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the new drug application for Victoza® (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection), the first once-daily human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Victoza is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

27 Jan 2010

Dynavax Technologies to present data on its SD-101 Phase 1b trial for chronic HCV infection

Dynavax Technologies Corporation announced today data from two studies that differentiate SD-101 from standard-of-care as well as emerging treatments for chronic HCV infection. The findings of a Phase 1b clinical trial and an in vitro study of SD-101's mechanism of action show that the second-generation TLR9 agonist is well tolerated and safe and induces both IFN-lambda and IFN-alpha at concentrations producing antiviral activity. The data will be presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in Vienna, Austria in April 2010.

27 Jan 2010

Merck’s initiation of EMD 1201081-cetuximab combination Phase 2 trial triggers €3.0M milestone payment

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that it has achieved a milestone under its worldwide licensing and collaboration agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The milestone was achieved upon initiation of a Phase 2 trial by Merck KGaA of EMD 1201081, a novel agonist of Toll-like Receptor 9 (TLR9), in combination with cetuximab (Erbitux®) in second-line cetuximab-naïve patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

20 Jan 2010

Brain mechanisms behind compulsive behaviors in Parkinson's disease patients

New research unravels the brain mechanisms that underlie the ability of a standard drug treatment for Parkinson's to elicit compulsive behaviors in some patients with the disease. The study, published by Cell Press in the January 14th issue of the journal Neuron, provides fascinating new insight into the brain mechanisms that underlie a predisposition to behavioral addictions, such as pathological gambling and shopping.

18 Jan 2010

Positive results from Asthmatx's AIR2 Trial published in AJRCCM

Asthmatx Inc., developer of bronchial thermoplasty with the Alair® System, announced today the publication of positive results from its pivotal study, the Asthma Intervention Research 2 (AIR2) Trial, in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM).

13 Jan 2010

Reducing DA dosage causes acute withdrawal symptoms in Parkinson's patients

New research has shown that reducing the dosage of dopamine agonist (DA) drugs, a mainstay treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD), sometimes causes acute withdrawal symptoms similar to those reported by cocaine addicts -- including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, sweating, nausea, generalized pain, fatigue, dizziness and drug cravings. These symptoms can be severe, and are not alleviated by other PD medications.

12 Jan 2010

Researchers identify new approach to eliminate side effects of drugs

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have taken an early step toward identifying a new approach to drug discovery that may eventually yield drugs with fewer side effects.

7 Jan 2010

Eisai acquires AkaRx for approximately $255 million

Eisai Inc. (Headquarters: Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, Chairman and CEO: Hajime Shimizu, "Eisai") today announces the successful completion of its acquisition of the biopharmaceutical company, AkaRx, Inc. (Headquarters: Bridgewater, New Jersey, CEO: Robert E. Desjardins), for approximately $255 million.

6 Jan 2010