Lexington, MA-based Curis (NASDAQ:[[ticker:CRIS]]) said this morning that its partner Genentech of South San Francisco informed the firm that its pivotal Phase II study of a drug dubbed vismodegib in patients with an inoperable form of severe skin cancer called advanced basal cell carcinoma met its primary endpoint of tumor shrinkage. The most common adverse events of the 104-patient trial included muscle spasms, hair loss, altered taste sensation, weight loss, fatigue, nausea, decreased appetite, and diarrhea. Swiss drug giant Roche, the owner of Genentech, has indicated plans to make at least one regulatory submission for approval of the drug in 2011, according to Curis. Curis’ stock was up 14 percent to $3.35 per share as of 10:42 am Eastern time.
Author: Ryan McBride
Ryan is an award-winning business journalist who contributes to our life sciences and technology coverage. He was previously a staff writer for Mass High Tech, a Boston business and technology newspaper, where he and his colleagues won a national business journalism award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers in 2008. In recent years, he has made regular TV appearances on New England Cable News.
Prior to MHT, Ryan covered the life sciences, technology, and energy sectors for Providence Business News. He graduated with honors from the University of Rhode Island in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. When he’s not chasing down news, Ryan enjoys mountain biking and skiing in his home state of Vermont.
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