Savient Announces FDA's Advisory Panel To Review Pegloticase For Treatment Failure Gout Patients (Medical News Today)
Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVNT) announced that its biologics license application (BLA) for pegloticase for treatment-failure gout will be reviewed by the Arthritis Advisory Committee appointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 5, 2009 as required for a drug of a new therapeutic class.

FDA Grants IND Status To Clinuvel's Photoprotective Afamelanotide (Medical News Today)
Melbourne-based Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV; XETRA-DAX: UR9; ADR: CLVLY) today announced that it has obtained Investigational New Drug (IND) status for its photoprotective drug afamelanotide from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Clinuvel can now commence clinical trials in the US, the world's largest pharmaceutical market.