Intercell's Ixiaro JE vacc and S-P's Temodal IV recommended for EU approval

Germany's Intercell AG says that the Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has reached a positive opinion on the Marketing Authorization Application for Ixiaro, a vaccine against Japanese encephalitis, a deadly infectious disease found mainly in Asia. Up to 50,000 cases are reported there each year. In other news, the CHMP has recommended approval of the intravenous formulation of US drug major Schering-Plough's Temodal (temozolomide) as an alternative to the already-approved oral form of temozolomide in the European Union. The CHMP has also issued a positive opinion recommending approval of a sachet packaging presentation for Temodal Capsules, which the firm says will provide greater patient convenience and flexibility.