Novacea stops Ph III Asentar trial

USA-based biopharmaceutical firm Novacea has stopped a Phase III trial of its prostate cancer therapy Asentar (DN-101), co-developed with Schering-Plough, due to a higher death rate in patients who received the drug. The ASCENT-2 study, which was examining the drug in combination with Taxotere (docetaxel) versus Taxotere alone in androgen-independent prostate cancer patients, was recently the subject of a protocol amendment designed to more clearly demonstrate therapeutic efficacy. Novacea's chief executive, John Walker, said that the findings were both "surprising and disappointing," given the promising clinical activity observed in earlier trials. He added that both firms would continue to analyze the data over the next few months. Novacea's share price plummeted 65.5% to $2.55 in morning trading on the day of the news, while S-P's slipped just 0.8% to $29.72.