Nabi's NicVAX successful in Ph IIb trial

USA-based Nabi Biopharmaceuticals says it has successfully completed a Phase IIb trial of NicVAX, its nicotine conjugate vaccine. The firm added that data from the 12-month trial, presented at the American Heart Association's scientific meeting in Orlando, Florida, confirm the significant trends towards smoking cessation and abstinence seen after six and nine months.

Specifically, the results showed that 16% of those given a 400mcg dose of the drug abstained from smoking for 12 months, compared with just 6% in the control group, Additionally, 14% of subjects provided with a 200mcg dose did not smoke for a year, versus 6% in the equivalent placebo cohort.

Nabi also reported that the degree of benefit was linked to the level of antibody response; the highest abstinence rates, for example, were achieved by those in the top 30% of responders. The firm is currently planning the next step in NicVAX' clinical development.