Pappas Capital Announces the Passing of…

HAYWARD, Calif., Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANTH), a biopharmaceutical company developing drugs to treat serious diseases associated with inflammation, today announced positive interim biomarker data from the PEARL-SC phase 2b clinical study in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

After analysis by an independent statistician, data from the on-going PEARL-SC study indicate that weekly and monthly subcutaneous doses of blisibimod resulted in statistically significant reductions of B-cells.  Elevations in these B-cells have been associated with an increased risk of disease activity in lupus patients. These findings are consistent with data from previous clinical studies of blisibimod. The company remains blinded to primary efficacy data.