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NOVC Yikes! Ouch! Novacea Ends Drug Study, Citing Deaths
Monday November 5, 7:49 am ET
Novacea Ends Late-Stage Study of Prostate Cancer Drug Candidate After Unexpected Deaths


SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (AP) -- Biotechnology company Novacea Inc. said Monday it ended a late-stage study of its cancer drug candidate Asentar because of an "imbalance" of deaths.
The drug was being developed as a treatment for patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. Patients received either Asentar with the chemotherapy drug Taxotere or placebo with Taxotere. More than 900 patients were enrolled in the study out of a planned 1,200 patients.

The company said the results were "surprising and disappointing" and that it will further analyze the data to find the possible causes of the deaths.

Shares of Novacea closed at $7.19 Friday.


http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071105/novacea_study.html?.v=1