Cara's analgesic misses Phase IIb endpoint

Cara Therapeutics Inc. lost $7.09 (28%) to $18.42 in after-hours trading Thursday after it said oral CR845 missed the primary endpoint in the Phase IIb CLIN2002 trial to treat pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. Compared to placebo, the candidate failed to significantly improve the weekly mean of daily pain intensity scores from baseline to week eight, measured by a numeric rating scale (NRS).

Cara said that among the study's patients who maintained the study's top dose for eight weeks, CR845 led to a 35% reduction in mean joint pain score, but the results were not significant vs. placebo (p=0.111). The 476-patient trial evaluated 1, 2.5 and 5 mg CR845. ...