Anthera Resumes Trial Testing On Lupus Patients While Starting On Other New Trials

Piper Jaffray has published a research report on Anthera Pharmaceuticals

after the company resumed patient screening for its Phase IIb PEARL-SC lupus trial of A-623. In the report, Piper Jaffray writes "Anthera has resumed patient screening in the Phase IIb PEARL-SC lupus trial of A-623. Dosing of patients should recommence by the end of the month. The study was suspended in November due to vial cracking caused by shipment on dry ice. Anthera plans to bring on additional sites and geographies (Korea and Singapore), thus should still complete enrollment by late 3Q:11/early 4Q:11. Prior to study halting, PEARL had dosed 12 lupus patients and screened an additional 45-50, in our view demonstrating interest in the study. Anthera will begin an open-label extension study to keep the first 12 patients on drug and generate safety data. Anthera is also actively enrolling Acute Coronary Syndrome (

) patients in the pivotal VISTA-16 trial of varespladib. A biomarker futility analysis of the first 1,000 patients is on track by April and we expect final data in early 2012." Piper Jaffray maintains its Overweight rating and $9 price target. Anthera Pharmaceuticals closed yesterday at $5.11.