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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and FREMONT, Calif., March 12, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Biogen Idec, Inc. and PDL BioPharma, Inc. (PDL) announced today that the ongoing CHOICE trial, a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of daclizumab, met its primary endpoint in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients being treated with interferon beta. Patients receiving daclizumab 2 mg/kg subcutaneously every 2 weeks showed a significant reduction in the number of new or enlarged gadolinium-contrast-enhancing lesions (Gd-CELs) at week 24.
Daclizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the IL-2 receptor on activated T cells. Study results will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting later this year. Based on a joint review of the 24-week data, the companies plan to initiate a Phase 2 monotherapy trial of daclizumab, and to advance the overall clinical development program in relapsing MS.
"We are very pleased to see positive results from the first randomized trial of daclizumab in patients with relapsing MS, and we look forward to advancing the clinical development program with our partner and acknowledged leader in the MS field, Biogen Idec," said Mark A. McCamish, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, PDL BioPharma. "While the week 24 data set will be presented later this year, we are planning to move forward with additional development activities, most notably the initiation of the SELECT trial, which will study daclizumab as a single agent in patients with relapsing MS."
"We congratulate PDL on conducting a successful trial of
daclizumab in MS," said Al Sandrock, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice
president, neurology research and development, Biogen Idec.
"Daclizumab represents an exciti
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