Monitoring Board approves Keryx drug study

Earlier on Wednesday, New-York based Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc. announced that a recommendation from an independent monitoring board necessitates the company’s late-stage colorectal cancer study to be continued until completion.

Nationwide, Keryx has enrolled over 465 patients, and the trial will evaluate Perifosine as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. The study is conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of a combination of perifosine and capecitabine in contrast with a combination of a placebo and capecitabine in those patients who have failed previous treatment.

The North American rights have been licensed to perifosine by Keryx from the Canadian drug developer Aeterna Zentaris Inc.
In morning trading, Keryx shares jumped 11 percent, or 42 cents, to $4.21 while broader trading indexes were up about 1 percent.