Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX) announced today that single doses of inhaled aclidinium produced a significant bronchodilatory response in 17 patients with COPD according to results of a phase IIa trial presented today at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Annual Congress in Stockholm.(1)

CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: CEN) and the ERGOMED Group today announced that they have initiated recruitment into a Phase II study of the potential new pain drug CNS 5161. CNS 5161 is being developed under a co-development deal signed in July 2006 between CeNeS and ERGOMED.

In a new analysis data in the European subgroup of the large clinical study REST (Rotavirus Efficacy and Safety Trial), the five-type rotavirus vaccine RotaTeq® demonstrated 100% clinical efficacy against severe rotavirus disease for the first rotavirus season after vaccination. The efficacy remained high through two rotavirus seasons of follow up, preventing 98% of severe rotavirus cases. This new sub-analysis was presented last week at the 25th International Congress of Paediatrics in Athens.

Bayer HealthCare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that a planned review by an independent data monitoring committee (DMC) found that Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets significantly improved overall survival, progression free survival and time to progression in an Asia-Pacific regional Phase III trial of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. Based on the DMC's recommendation, the trial will be stopped to allow all patients to receive treatment with Nexavar. Data from this study will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming scientific meeting.

Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SWX: SANN, "Santhera"), a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus on neuromuscular diseases, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502, "Takeda"), today announced they have extended their existing commercialization partnership for SNT-MC17 (INN: idebenone) in the European Union and Switzerland to cover the compound's second indication of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). SNT-MC17 is currently in a Phase II clinical trial in Europe for DMD. Results of this trial are expected to be released later this year.