Somaxon touts mid-stage data on smoking cessation

Somaxon is touting new Phase II data for oral nalmefene hydrochloride for smoking cessation. Researchers said that a statistically superior number of patients taking a 40 milligram dose reported higher abstinence rates compared to a placebo. Patients in the 80 milligram group did not demonstrate a significantly higher rate of abstention.

"We are encouraged by the results of our first smoking cessation clinical study which was designed to be exploratory in nature," said Chief Medical Officer Phil Jochelson. "We are intrigued with the observation that the nalmefene 40 mg treated patients maintained higher abstinence rates relative to placebo."   

- see the report on the data from Trading Markets