Janssen declines option to Capricor's CAP-1002, Capricor to start DMD trials

Capricor Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:CAPR) said that the Janssen Biotech Inc. unit of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) declined its option to develop and commercialize the biotech's CAP-1002. Janssen had rights under a 2014 deal. Capricor retains all rights to the compound (see BioCentury, Jan 13, 2014).

This half, Capricor said it plans to start a double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial to evaluate the effects of IV CAP-1002 on skeletal muscle function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients...