Biotech briefs

Biotech briefs

Phosphagenics, Patrys, Novogen, Stem Cell Sciences, Mesoblast

Phosphagenics has completed recruitment of its Phase II clinical trial of Phospha E in metabolic syndrome.

Phospha E is a derivative of vitamin E that is hoped to be added to medical foods. Phosphagenics has agreed to principal terms with an unnamed nutrition company for a commercialisation agreement when the trial is complete.

Results from the trial, which has recruited 160 patients from five sites in Australia, are expected in the first quarter of 2009.

Antibody company Patrys has released preclinical studies from an independent group in Germany that show some of its lead products were able to prevent cancer metastasis in mice.

One product, PAT-LMI, showed good results in reducing the prevalence of colon cancer spreading to the liver. Human clinical trials of this candidate are expected next year.

The other products were studied to evaluate their ability to halt the spread of gastric cancer to the bone marrow and blood. These showed a similar reduction.

Novogen’s US subsidiary Marshall Edwards has received the go-ahead from its independent data monitoring committee to continue with the company’s Phase III Ovature trial.

Ovature is trialling the investigational chemo-sensitising agent phenoxodiol in combination with the generic DNA alkylating drug carboplatin in refractory ovarian cancer.

British-Australian company Stem Cell Sciences has signed an agreement with the US non-profit CHDI Foundation to work on embryonic stem cell lines in Huntington’s disease research.

The agreement will see Stem Cell Sciences create standard culture conditions for CHDI’s series of cell lines from a mouse model of Huntington’s.

Stem cell specialist Mesoblast’s sister company Angioblast has won a market innovation award from industry analyst Frost & Sullivan.