Marinus Pharma's Trial Of Treatment For Drug-resistant Epilepsy Failed To Meet Goals

Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Monday a late-stage trial of a treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy failed to meet its goals and that it would discontinue the program and focus on other uses for the drug. The company said the trial of ganaxolone did not meet its primary endpoint in a trial of adults with drug-resistant focal onset seizures. The company will now focus on advancing ganaxolone for use in pediatric orphan indications and status epilepticus, a condition in which epileptic seizures follow one another without recovery of consciousness between them. It will provide a further update in coming weeks on its clinical programs, and will host a conference call at 8.00 a.m. Eastern. Shares were halted in premarket trade, but fell 58% when the halt was lifted.