Novacea

treatment of cancer

As of January 30, 2009, Novacea, Inc. was acquired by Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in a reverse merger transaction. Novacea, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on in-licensing, developing, and commercializing therapies for the treatment of cancer. The companyâ€s product candidates include Asentar, which is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer and in Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer; and AQ4N, a hypoxia-activated prodrug in Phase Ib/IIa clinical trial for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. It has license and collaboration agreements with Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Oregon Health & Science University; University of Pittsburgh; KuDOS Pharmaceuticals Limited; and BTG International Limited. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.