Pivotal PolyHeme Trial Fails To Hit Endpoints, Hurting Northfield.

Washington Editor

Shares in Northfield Laboratories Inc. lost about half their value after further pivotal study analyses showed that the oxygen-carrying red blood cell substitute PolyHeme missed its dual primary efficacy endpoints of superiority and non-inferiority a month after injury, as well as its primary safety endpoint.

"The difference in mortality at 30 days between patients who received PolyHeme beginning at the scene and continuing for up to 12 hours following injury and control patients who received the standard of care, including early blood, was not statistically significant," Chairman and CEO Steven Gould said of the safety analysis during a conference call. In addition, he …