Catalyst boosted as 'breakthrough' PhIII drug clears safety hurdle

Shares of Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners ($CPRX) got a boost from the news that its late-stage drug Firdapse had passed a cardio safety test. BioMarin ($BMRN), which won a European approval for Firdapse and licensed out U.S. rights to Catalyst, conducted the study. Firdapse won the FDA's coveted "breakthrough" designation last year and is being developed as a treatment for rare cases of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, which is characterized by muscle weakness. Coral Gables, FL-based Catalyst is small by any standard, but its market cap has doubled based on the prospects of Firdapse. Release