XenoPort discontinues arbaclofen placarbil program

XenoPort Inc. (NASDAQ:XNPT) fell $1.03 (15%) to $5.72 on Monday after discontinuing development of arbaclofen placarbil based on top-line data showing that twice-daily doses of the product missed the co-primary endpoints in a Phase III trial to treat spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. XenoPort had an SPA from FDA for the trial, which enrolled 228 patients. In 2011, XenoPort discontinued development of arbaclofen placarbil -- a transported prodrug of R- baclofen, a GABA B receptor agonist -- to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (see BioCentury, May 23, 2011). ...