Lilly's arzoxifene superior to $1.1B-a-year Evista in Ph III osteoporosis study

US drug major Eli Lilly has presented Phase III data showing that its drug candidate arzoxifene was superior to its already-approved  osteoporosis product Evista (raloxifene) at increasing bone mineral  density in the lumbar spine, total hip and femoral neck, and at  suppressing bone turnover as assessed by serum markers of bone  metabolism.

However, the 12-month study of 320 patients showed a mixed side effect  profile. More women reported bronchitis and nasopharyngitis in the  arzoxifene group, whereas significantly fewer suffered new or worsening  hot flushes.

On the day the results were announced, shares in the firm rose 2.7% to  $34.09, also buoyed by news that the US Food and Drug Administration had  approved Symbyax (olanzapine and fluoxetine HCl) for the additional  indication of treatment-resistant depression and cleared two new  combination indications for Lilly's Zyprexa (olanzapine) and Prozac  (fluoxetine HCl) for acute bipolar depression and TRD (Marketletter  March 23).