Psoriasis Drug Trial Meets Goals, Reimbursement Rate For Cologuard Finalized

Amgen Inc. (AMGN: Quote) and AstraZeneca plc's (AZN: Quote) phase III trial of psoriasis drug candidate Brodalumab has met its primary endpoint of achieving total clearance of skin disease when compared with placebo as well as Janssen Biotech Inc.'s approved drug Stelara.

The trial, dubbed AMAGINE-2, is the third and final pivotal study in the companies' phase III psoriasis program. Brodalumab is being co-developed by Amgen and AstraZeneca.

Top-line results from AMAGINE-1, comparing Brodalumab with placebo, were released in May 2014 while top-line results from AMAGINE-3, comparing Brodalumab with Stelara and placebo, were announced as recently as November 11, 2014.

The trials AMAGINE-2 and AMAGINE-3 are identical in design.

AMGN closed Tuesday's trading at $162.24, down 1.18%.

Exact Sciences Corp.'s (EXAS: Quote) Cologuard will be reimbursed at $502 per test, according to the final payment decision issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Cologuard is the first and only FDA-approved noninvasive stool DNA colorectal cancer screening test.

EXAS closed Tuesday's trading at $24.90, up 2.55%.

Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc. (ITCI: Quote) has enrolled the first patient in its phase III trial of ITI-007 for the treatment of schizophrenia.

The trial, dubbed ITI-007-301, is designed to enroll over 400 patients with an acutely exacerbated episode of schizophrenia who will be randomized to receive one of three treatments namely, 60 mg ITI-007, 40 mg ITI-007, or placebo in a 1:1:1 ratio. Top-line results from this trial could be available as early as the fourth quarter of 2015.

Continued here:
Psoriasis Drug Trial Meets Goals, Reimbursement Rate For Cologuard Finalized