OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGXI) announced today that the Company will hold a live webcast and conference call of presentations made at an OncoGenex hosted reception during the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) on Saturday, May 30, 2009. The webcast will begin at 7:10 p.m. EDT.

Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the Company’s product candidate, NT-501, demonstrated a strong biologic effect in two Phase 2 clinical trials for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP is a slowly developing condition that causes the progressive degeneration of rod & cone photoreceptor cells in the retina that over time diminishes night and peripheral vision and eventually leads to blindness. RP is an orphan-designated indication for which there are currently no approved treatments.

In the rat race of life, one thing is certain: there’s no place like home. Now, a study published this week in the journal Molecular Ecology finds the same is as true for rats as for humans. Although inner city rodents appear to roam freely, most form distinct neighborhoods where they spend the majority of their lives. Like any major city, Baltimore, Md., has many lively neighborhoods - each with its own personality.

To help customers have a safe and fun summer in the sun, Rite Aid and The Skin Cancer Foundation are partnering to raise awareness and offer free information on the importance of smart skin care practices. A free skin care guide aimed to encourage customers to protect their skin this summer will be available at nearly 4,900 Rite Aid stores nationwide and online at http://www.riteaid.com starting May 31.

BioCis Pharma Ltd., a privately-held drug development company with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, has started Phase I clinical testing of ProtoCure(TM) intravesical instillation solution, a novel anti-cancer drug for urinary bladder cancer. ProtoCure is based on a new mechanism of action discovered and developed by BioCis Pharma which effectively prevents cancer growth and proliferation locally.

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infected caused by HSV (herpes simplex virus). This virus affects the genitals, the cervix, as well as the skin in other parts of the body. There are two types of herpes simplex viruses: a) HSVp1, or Herpes Type 1, and b) HSV-2, or Herpes Type 2. Herpes is a chronic condition. Chronic, in medicine, means long-term. However, many people never have symptoms even though they are carrying the virus.

Abraxis BioScience Inc. (NASDAQ:ABII) announced that final results from an open-label Phase II study evaluating three dose levels of the company’s chemotherapy agent ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin bound) compared to the highest standard dose of Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate, in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, today announced updated clinical data from its randomized, controlled Phase 2 trial of picoplatin in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. It is characterized primarily by inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs or by alveoli that are filled with fluid (alveoli are microscopic sacs in the lungs that absorb oxygen). At times a very serious condition, pneumonia can make a person very sick or even cause death.

Pfizer Inc said that the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued its final appraisal document (FAD) recommending reimbursement for Sutent (sunitinib malate) as a second-line treatment for patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). This recommendation follows NICE’s recently published guidance recommending reimbursement for Sutent for the first-line treatment of advanced kidney cancer.