VistaGen Staggered By Latest Clinical Setback, This Time In Social Anxiety

Failure of pherine nasal spray candidate in first of two Phase III trials for social anxiety disorder puts program in doubt, while the California biotech’s share price craters.

Public speaking anxiety
VistaGen tested its SAD candidate in a public speaking model • Source: Shutterstock

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. has rebounded from clinical development setbacks before, but investors imposed a severe penalty on the South San Francisco biotech on 22 July following its pre-market announcement that social anxiety disorder candidate PH94B failed to meet the primary endpoint in the first of two pivotal Phase III trials.

Trading at only $1.07 per share at the beginning of the day on 22 July – despite a clinical pipeline with one Phase III and two Phase II assets – VistaGen shares were hammered on the news of the trial miss, falling 86% to $0.15 per share

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