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Vical plummets on placebo promise in herpes study

 
• By Mandy Jackson

San Diego-based Vical's stock was cut almost in half on 23 June after the company reported that the placebo in a Phase I/II clinical trial outperformed both the monovalent and bivalent forms of its therapeutic genital herpes vaccine by a wide margin. In terms of the trial's primary endpoint, viral shedding decreased 12% for patients treated with the monovalent vaccine, 19% in the study's bivalent arm and 45% in the placebo group.

San Diego-based Vical's stock was cut almost in half on 23 June after the company reported that the placebo in a Phase I/II clinical trial outperformed both the monovalent and bivalent forms of its therapeutic genital herpes vaccine by a wide margin. In terms of the trial's primary endpoint, viral shedding decreased 12% for patients treated with the monovalent vaccine, 19% in the study's bivalent arm and 45% in the placebo group.

Changes in lesion rate and viral load – secondary endpoints in the study – were statistically significant, so longer-term safety...

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Sanofi’s Sarclisa Wins Another EU Multiple Myeloma Nod In Its Unequal Battle With J&J’s Darzalex

 
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The French drugmaker's anti-CD38 antibody has racked up another approval in first-line multiple myeloma, but it marks a small victory while the company develops a subcutaneous version to help level the field with J&J’s Darzalex.

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The accelerated approval came three months after Jazz completed the acquisition of Modeyso’s developer, Chimerix.