SCLN News,
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SCLN) and Sigma-Tau SpA said interim survival
data from a Phase II study of a combination treatment for stage IV malignant
melanoma showed positive results.
SciClone, a San Francisco drug marketer, and Sigma-Tau, a privately held
Italian company, said Friday the addition of Zadaxin, or thymalfasin, to a
standard dacarbazine chemotherapy increased median patient survival to 10.2
months, according to results from the first four arms of an ongoing, five-arm
study.
By contrast, the median survival rate for patients with the most advanced
form the malignant skin cancer who are treated with standard chemotherapy and
interferon alpha was 6.6 months, SciClone said.
The company said it would meet with U.S. and European regulators to discuss
launching a Phase III clinical trial of Zadaxin, which received orphan-drug
designation in March 2006.
About 7,700 people a year die from malignant melanoma in the U.S.
Separately, SciClone said its board adopted a stock-purchase rights plan to
guard against any potential use of takeover tactics designed to gain control of
SciClone without paying all stockholders full and fair value.
-James DeWeese; 201-938-5400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com
