Biogen, Cardiokine drug trial starts new phase

Biogen Idec Inc. and Cardiokine Inc. announced the start of a Phase III clinical trial of Lixivaptan in some patients with congestive heart failure.

Biogen Idec of Cambridge markets such drugs as Rituxan for non-Hodgkins lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis and Avonex, a multiple sclerosis drug; with another company, it markets a second MS drug called Tysabri.

Cardiokine of Philadelphia is focused on developing pharmaceuticals for the treatment and prevention of heart failure and related cardiovascular indications, its website says.

The companies announced today the initiation of a Phase III multi-center, randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind study of lixivaptan for congestive heart failure patients who suffer from hyponatremia, which is an electrolyte disturbance marked by low sodium levels in the blood.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)