Sucampo Terminates Development of Cobiprostone

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals is stopping development on the drug candidate cobiprostone after it failed to show clinical benefit in an ongoing oral mucositis study.

The company made the announcement after analyzing Phase 2a study data that showed the drug didn’t work in patients receiving radio-chemotherapy for head and neck cancer.

The candidate also fizzled during its first Phase 2a trial in April, failing to meaningfully reduce heartburn symptoms in patients with proton-pump inhibitor-refractory non-erosive reflux disease or symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease.