Cortecs' Oral Calcitonin Shows Early Promise

Cortecs International, the UK biopharmaceutical firm, has disclosedpromising three-month interim data from a European Phase II/III clinical trial of Macritonin, an oral formulation of salmon calcitonin for the treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. Results of the trial have been eagerly awaited by analysts, who were expecting the data to be made available in April (Marketletter May 5).

The two-year trial is being conducted at four centers in the UK and in Denmark, and involves 212 women who had received a fresh diagnosis of osteoporosis and who were bisphosphonate-naive.

Patients received daily doses of either placebo, Sandoz' intranasal Miacalcic (sCT 200iu), or Macritonin (100iu, 200iu, 400iu or 800iu). All groups involved in the trial also received daily doses of calcium 500mg and vitamin D 400iu.