Alkermes Announces Positive Results from Clinical Study of ALKS 9070

Alkermes, Inc. ALKS today announced positive topline results from a phase 1b, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of ALKS 9070 in patients with schizophrenia. ALKS 9070, a proprietary Alkermes molecule for the treatment of schizophrenia, is designed to provide patients with once-monthly dosing of a medication that, once in the body, converts into aripiprazole, a molecule that is commercially available under the name ABILIFY for the treatment of a number of central nervous system disorders. Data from the study showed that ALKS 9070 was generally well tolerated, achieved therapeutically relevant plasma concentrations of aripiprazole with a pharmacokinetic profile that supports once-monthly dosing. Based on these results, Alkermes plans to advance ALKS 9070 into pivotal development by the end of calendar 2011.