Biotech Values

[Biowatch]

MYGN's Flurizan missses in Ph II in Alzheimer's

[conference call on this at 4 PM today, cc on 3Q results on Wednesday.]

http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh23659_2005-05-02_12-20-19_n02...

>>UPDATE 1-Myriad's Alzheimer's drug misses targets in trial
Mon May 2, 2005 08:20 AM ET

(Updates with details)
NEW YORK, May 2 (Reuters) - Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said its drug Flurizan failed to effect a significant improvement in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, though some benefit was seen in certain patients with mild forms of the disease.

The Salt Lake City-based company said that while the drug, Flurizan, did not reach the main goal of a mid-stage, or Phase II clinical trial, enough positive trends were seen in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease to warrant continuation of a Phase III, or late-stage trial.

The main goals of the trial included showing statistically significant improvements in the ability to carry out the activities of daily living such as eating and dressing and an slowing in the rate of cognitive decline.

Patients with mild forms of the disease who were taking 800 milligrams of the drug twice daily did show significant improvements in these measures, the company said. The company is hopeful the drug may have some benefit in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

The company said it is considering modifying the Phase III trial design to focus future enrollment on mild Alzheimer's patients. <<

The company's PR:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050502/lam060.html?.v=7