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AP/Human Genome Down on Drug Side Effects
Wednesday January 23, 8:55 am ET
Human Genome Shares Plunge Premarket on Side Effects Seen in Hepatitis C Drug Trial

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080123/human_genome_sciences_albuferon.html?.v=1

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP)
Shares of Human Genome Sciences Inc. plummeted in Wednesday premarket trading after the biopharmaceutical company said it will lower the dosage of its experimental hepatitis C drug Albuferon in response to serious lung-related safety concerns.

Shares of Human Genome dropped $2.22, or 22.2 percent, to $7.80 in premarket activity, having closed Tuesday at $10.02.

Following a routine review, an independent data monitoring committee cited serious lung-related side effects in patients receiving 1200-microgram injections every two weeks of Albuferon. Patients in the Phase 3 trials who were receiving that dosage will now receive a lower 900-mcg injection every two weeks. No safety concerns were cited with the lower dose.

Human Genome said it continues to expect Phase 3 data to be available by spring 2009 to support the filing of global marketing approval applications by fall 2009. The company is currently conducting two late-stage clinical trials of Albuferon in combination with antiviral medication ribavirin.

Albuferon is being developed by Human Genome and Novartis under a worldwide co-development and marketing agreement signed in June 2006. Albuferon is a new, longer-acting form of interferon alpha, a biological therapy used to treat various cancers. Interferon acts to weaken tumor cells and make them more susceptible to attack by the body's immune system.

Hepatitis C is a virus which infects the liver, causing severe liver damage or liver cancer.

HGSI HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES, INC.
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