Uncertain Times At Cortech?

Cortech has said it expects the results of its North American Phase IIclinical trial of Bradycor (SB-238592), in patients with traumatic brain injury, in first-quarter 1997. The trial of Bradycor, a bradykinin antagonist, was being conducted by partner SmithKline Beecham, but was halted early in October because of the results of pharmcokinetic studies which revealed unexplained mortality in rats. Cortech maintains that repeat studies have failed to reproduce the result.

Elastase Inhibitor Returned Meantime, Cortech has been returned all the rights to its parenteral elastase inibitor, CE-1037, by Hoechst Marion Roussel. A Phase II study of CE-1037 in cystic fibrosis patients has been completed, but a pilot Phase II study in acute respiratory distress syndrome has been suspended "pending evaluation of recent results of preclinical safety studies." Cortech seems to be a company in need of some good news.