EPIX discontinues MDD drug on poor efficacy

The USA's EPIX Pharmaceuticals is discontinuing clinical development of PRX-00023 due to lack of significant efficacy shown in the recently-completed Phase IIb trial in patients with major depressive disorder.

Company chief executive Michael Kauffman said the firm continues to enjoy strong partnerships with UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline, US biotechnology major Amgen and the US Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics around several early-stage programs, as well as a collaboration with GSK for a Phase IIb Alzheimer's disease program and Germany's Bayer Schering Pharma for the contrast agent Vasovist (gadofosveset trisodium). "We look forward to continuing to achieve key revenue-generating milestones in these programs in the months ahead," he added.

As previously-reported, EPIX has received regulatory clarity on Vasovist and has initiated the requested Phase III study image re-reads. The US firm expects to complete the process and resubmit its New Drug Application to the US Food and Drug Administration in mid-2008. Data from the re-read is expected by the second quarter of the year.