Genmab Says AMG 714 Successful in Phase II Study
Danish biotech firm Genmab A/S said on Thursday its drug AMG 714, which targets rheumatoid arthritis, had successfully achieved a reduction in the effects of the disease in a majority of 55 patients in a Phase II study.
AMG 714 is a human antibody being developed by Genmab under an agreement with Thousand Oaks-based Amgen Inc., which markets the popular RA drug Enbrel.
In the study, 53 percent of the patients had achieved a 50-percent reduction in disease effects by the 14th week of treatment while 25 percent had achieved a 70-percent reduction, Genmab said in a statement. The patients had previously failed treatment with at least one anti-rheumatic drug.
The data were presented at a conference of the European League Against Rheumatism in Amsterdam.
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Digital Insight Expands Internet Banking Relationships
Calabasas-based online banking provider Digital Insight Corp. said Thursday that it had renewed and expanded agreements with Government Employees Credit Union of El Paso, Texas and TruWest Credit Union of Tempe, Ariz.
The multi-year agreements will continue services to approximately 65,000 active consumer Internet banking users and nearly 18,000 bill payment users through 2011.
“Working with Digital Insight enables us to focus our people on better serving our members and building relationships instead of managing an in-house solution,” said GECU Senior Vice President of Operations Crystal Long. “We are able to cost-effectively and efficiently offer best of breed products and services in a secure, stable online banking environment and return that value to our members.”
As a contracted participant in the program since December 2002, GECU member adoption of Digital Insight’s Internet Banking offering during this period has increased 94 percent, the company said. Since the credit union’s launch of online participant in the program since December 2002, GECU member adoption of Digital Bill Payment in January 2005, bill payment adoption also has increased more than 265 percent.
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Grill Concepts Names CFO
Los Angeles-based Grill Concepts, Inc. has announced the appointment of Wayne Lipschitz to serve as vice president and chief financial officer, succeeding Philip Gay, who has been named chief executive officer.
Lipschitz, 41, previously served as chief financial officer of International Coffee & Tea, the Los Angeles-based operator of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf retail stores, and was corporate controller of The Cheesecake Factory, Inc., where he implemented several software initiatives and enhanced efficiencies in the finance department. Lipschitz began his restaurant experience as controller for the Wolfgang Puck Food Company, the frozen food and casual dining segment of the Wolfgang Puck restaurants.
Grill Concepts owns and manages upscale casual and fine dining, full service restaurants under two core brand names: The Grill on the Alley and Daily Grill.
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Arrowhead Research Scheduled to Join Russell Microcap Index
Pasadena-based nanotechnology company Arrowhead Research said that it is scheduled to join the Russell Microcap Index when the Russell Investment Group reconstitutes its family of U.S. indexes on June 30, according to a preliminary membership list posted on www.russell.com.
“We believe the selection of Arrowhead represents recognition by Russell of the significant progress of our operating companies over the last two years,” said Chief Executive R. Bruce Stewart. “Inclusion in this index will increase our visibility with investors and institutions that rely on the Russell indexes as part of their investment strategy.”
Arrowhead Research owns rights to, and licenses to other companies for commercialization, a variety of nanotechnologies in the electronics, life sciences and energy industries.
