Today, AVEO (name was changed in 2005) has an interesting multi-kinase inhibitor tivozanib in Phase 3 for renal cell cancer, and their second program is an anti-HGF mAb.

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However, this is the THIRD CETP inhibitor to advance to phase 3 with the Pfizer and Roche entries having failed previously.

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The companies will join forces to develop and commercialize ertugliflozin (PF-04971729), an oral sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT2) inhibitor for type 2 diabetes which is about to begin phase 3 studies.

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His comments have stemmed from the press release from Sanofi and Regeneron outlining their extensive Phase 3 program for their novel lipid lowering agent , REGN27, a PCSK9 inhibitor which is the most advanced agent in this highly competitive field.

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For its part, Merck notes that its BACE inhibitor recently demonstrated a reduction in cerebral spinal fluid, or CSF, a biomarker, in a Phase I study.

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On the FDA's Fast Track and in phase III testing is the company's BAY 43-9006, a small molecule RAF kinase and VEGF inhibitor that inhibits tumor growth for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (advanced kidney cancer).

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Based on the new resultsRoche is planning to launch a late-stage trial of its PD-L1 inhibitor in lung-cancer patients, while Bristol-Myers is moving its combination regimen into late-phase studies as well.

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