AEZS Shifts Listing, AUXL Gets New Decision Date, Teva Hangs Up On RNN Deal

(RTTNews) - Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (AEZS) (AEZ.TO) is all set to transfer its listing to the NASDAQ Capital Market from the NASDAQ Global Market effective at the opening of trading on August 29, 2013.

AEZS closed Wednesday's trading at $1.46, up 2.82%.

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUXL) has been notified that the FDA's decision date related to supplemental biologics license application for XIAFLEX for the treatment of Peyronie's disease has been extended by three months to December 6, 2013.

XIAFLEX is a biologic approved in the U.S., EU, Canada and Australia for the treatment of adult Dupuytren's contracture patients with a palpable cord.

AUXL closed Wednesday's trading 2.74% higher at $17.99.

BioTime Inc. (BTX) has received approval from the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices to begin human clinical trials of Renevia stem cell delivery platform. The company expects the first clinical investigation, a study in 10 volunteers to demonstrate the safety of Renevia in humans, to be completed before the end of the year.

BTX closed Wednesday's trading 0.26% higher at $3.79.

Clovis Oncology Inc. (CLVS) announced Wednesday that the first patient has been treated with its new hydrobromide salt tablet formulation of CO-1686 in its ongoing phase I dose-finding portion of its phase I/II clinical study.

CO-1686 is the company's oral drug candidate for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in patients with initial activating mutations as well as the dominant resistance mutation T790M. The company noted that it will transition all current patients on the original capsule form of CO-1686 to the new formulation, and will continue to enroll new patients as well over the next several months.

CLVS closed Wednesday's trading at $64.65, down 2.81%.

Endo Health Solutions (ENDP) touched a new 52-week high of $40.79 on Wednesday before closing at $40.67 following news of its acquisition of privately held Boca Pharmacal, a specialty generics company, for $225 million in cash.

The transaction, which is scheduled to close before the end of 2013, is expected to be immediately accretive to Endo's 2013 adjusted diluted earnings per share. On a stand-alone basis, Boca Pharmacal is expected to generate EBITDA of roughly $50 million in full year 2013.

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (MACK) phase III study of pancreatic cancer drug MM-398, dubbed NAPOLI-1 trial, has reached its enrollment goal of 405 patients. The NAPOLI-1 trial is evaluating MM-398 both as a monotherapy and in combination with 5-FU and Leucovorin in patients with advanced Gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer.

MACK closed Wednesday's trading 1.19% lower at $3.33.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RNN) shed 16.67% to $0.40 on Wednesday following Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.'s (TEVA) decision not to exercise its option to license tumor drug candidate RX-3117 from Rexahn. Accordingly, the Research and Exclusive License Option Agreement for RX-3117 between Rexahn and Teva has been terminated.

All the global development and commercialization rights to RX-3117 will be retained by Rexahn.

Rexahn expects to finalize the timeline for initiating a phase I clinical study of RX-3117 in cancer patients within the next three months.