Vanda Schizophrenia Drug Meets Phase III Endpoint

Shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals (VNDA) announced that its antipsychotic drug iloperidone met the primary endpoint in a phase III clinical trial evaluating the drug in Schizophrenia patients.

Iloperidone showed statistically significant improvement compared to placebo on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale [PANSS].

What is really exciting is that Vanda also investigated iloperidone's efficacy and safety in patients with predetermined genetic profiles. Vanda had found in earlier studies a polymorphism in a gene identified in 70% of patients thought to have schizophrenia.

In this group, iloperidone showed a greater PANSS difference than the total patient population. Vanda is determined to find ways of tailoring antipsychotic drugs to individuals' needs based on their genetic profile.

The company anticipates a New Drug Application [NDA] should be filed by late 2007.

VNDA 1-yr chart: