Forest Lab: stroke drug fails study goal |
|
|
|
Published
:
Thu, 31 May 2007 23:23
|
NEW YORK (AP) - Drug maker Forest Laboratories Inc. said Thursday a late-stage study of an experimental stroke treatment conducted with German biotech company Paion AG failed to meet its primary goal.The study was designed to investigate the improvement of clinical outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with desmoteplase within three to nine hours after the onset of stroke symptoms, compared with a placebo, the company said.Results of the study, which involved 186 patients in several nations, showed that depending on the dose of the drug placebo was as or actually more effective than desmoteplase at improving clinical outcome.'These data are surprising and are not consistent with previously observed patterns,' Forest Labs said in a statement.Forest Labs added that it will review the complete study database over the coming weeks to determine the appropriate next steps and its role regarding U.S. development of desmoteplase.Paion partners with Forest Labs for development of the drug in North America and with Danish pharmaceutical company H. Lundbeck for the rest of the world.Desmoteplase is a genetically engineered clot-dissolving protein found in the saliva of the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. The drug received fast-track designation from the Food and Drug Administration for the indication of acute ischemic stroke, the company said.Shares of Forest Laboratories fell $1.05, or 2.1 percent, to $49.66 in after-hours trading, after falling 35 cents to close at $50.71 in the regular session.Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Print this Story
FDA gets blood pressure drug data 