Neurotech Insights
October 31, 2007
Inside This Issue: CNS Infections
Top News Alerts: Product Updates, Deals & Financings
Featured Topic: Encephalitis and Meningitis
Featured Company: Alexza Pharmaceuticals (ALXA)
Subscribe now to access hundreds of articles covering developments in drugs, devices and diagnostics for the brain and nervous system.
Market Highlights: Investors Scratch Their Heads Over Mixed Trial Results
Questcor (QSC) more than doubled in anticipation of third quarter financial results to be announced the week of November 12. Memory (MEMY) dropped 45% after announcing that MEM 1003, which failed a Phase IIa for bipolar in March, failed a Phase IIa for Alzheimer’s disease. (see story, page 5). Northstar Neuroscience (NSTR) was up 16% after announcing that their cortical stimulation trial for stroke motor recovery is complete (see story, page 5). The low dose of TorreyPines’ (TPTX) migraine drug tezampanel showed nominal significance in a Phase II trial, but the two higher doses did not. While the company intends to pursue a Phase III, investors voiced their skepticism sending the stock down 31% (see story, page 7). Forest (FRX) also announced mixed trial results for their novel antipsychotic RGH-188, which has a preference for D3 dopamine receptors (see story, page 6)...
CNS Infections: Rare but Dangerous
Infections of the central nervous system are relatively infrequent, but can be quite serious and many are life-threatening. It is estimated that there are 25,000 cases of meningitis per year in the U.S. Encephalitis is even more rare and most cases are due to mosquito bites. Mosquito borne viral encephalitis has been in the news lately. Although the disease is rare even in those infected, the sequelae can be very serious and there is no specific treatment available at this time. Bacterial infections are more common and may present more of a problem in the near future as more bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. A fair number of infections follow trauma and neurosurgical procedures. CNS infections are also common in people with HIV/AIDS and immune suppression...
Alexza (ALXA): Bringing New Meaning to "Just Breathe"
Alexza Pharmaceuticals (ALXA), as the name implies, was founded by Dr. Alejandro Zaffaroni, perhaps the best known biotech entrepreneur in the country. Zaffaroni previously started Alza, Affymax, Affymetrix and Symyx, among others. According to CEO, Thomas King, Alexza was created based on two key premises. First, to treat acute and intermittent conditions that had largely been overlooked, and second, to leverage a technology called Staccato, coinvented by Zaffaroni, that uses aerosols to deliver drug to the deep lung…
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