NeuroSearch feels the pain as drug flunks Phase II

Denmark's NeuroSearch says it's shelving a pain program after a mid-stage trial for the experimental pain med ABT-894 failed to deliver the data it was hoping for. Researchers recruited 404 patients with diabetic neuropathic pain, comparing the response patients had over an eight week dosing schedule.

"The primary endpoint assessed in both Phase II studies was the change in the weekly average pain score as calculated from the subjects' daily pain diary," says the developer. "ABT-894 did not demonstrate an adequate effect in either study. These Phase II efficacy results do not support further development of ABT-894 in neuropathic pain, and the pain program will be discontinued."

ABT-894 was discovered under a drug discovery collaboration between NeuroSearch and Abbott in the field of NNR modulators. Shares of NeuroSearch slid slightly on the news. 

- read NeuroSearch's release

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