OncoGenex begins pivotal prostate cancer trial

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OGXI) has initiated a Phase 3 trial of its OGX-011/TV-1011 drug candidate for the treatment of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the first of three pivotal trials under a collaboration and license agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: TEVA). The international Phase 3 trial will be conducted at about 50 cancer centers and will [...]

Encouraging incremental data by Canadians at ASCO

Dundee Securities summed up some of the Canadian data presented at this year’s clinical oncology conference by AEterna Zentaris (NASDAQ:AEZS; TSX:AEZ), OncoGenex (NASDAQ:OGXI), Tekmira (TSX:TKM) and MethylGene (TSX:MYG) as “encouraging, but mainly incremental.” Nevertheless, analyst David Martin downgraded MethylGene to “neutral” from “buy,” without a price target. While he called data from the company’s MGCD265 [...]

Canadians’ data heading to ASCO

Versant Partners analyst Doug Loe has compiled a list of six biotech companies that will have data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting on June 4 to 8.  He expects: · AEterna Zentaris (NASDAQ:AEZS; TSX:AEZ) to report final data from its 43-patient Phase 2 advanced ovarian cancer trial with its AEZS-108 drug, [...]

Biotech’s new normal is search for efficiency

Coming out of a harrowing financial crisis and recession, the outlines of a “new normal” are starting to emerge in the general economy and biotech industry, Ernst & Young says in its global biotechnology report for 2010, Beyond Borders. On the surface, E&Y says it would appear that the worst is indeed over for biotech. [...]

Dundee moves OncoGenex to “buy”

Noting that OncoGenex (NASDAQ:OGXI) is trading at a substantial discount to comparable Phase 2 and 3 oncology companies, Dundee Securities upgraded the stock to “buy, speculative risk” from “neutral,” but maintained its 12-month price target of $25.40 (U.S.).  The stock finished at $20.38 on Thursday. Analyst David Martin writes that the stock remains below levels [...]