Here is an update on clinical trials from Jim Hughes. XL-820 Phase II: We have received notification from Exelixis that “Exelixis is closing the XL820-201 study for GIST”. No explanation was provided. An interim report on this trial was recently published in a poster at CTOS in London on November 15 by Dr. Andrew Wagner at Dana Farber Cancer Center and was based on data collected through Oct. 1, 2008. The conclusions in that poster included “These preliminary data suggest that XL820 may be active in the treatment of imatinib and/or sunitinib resistant GIST.” ClinicalTrials.gov lists this trial as “ongoing, but not recruiting participants.” XL820 no longer appears on the pipeline page of drugs under development at Exelixis’ website. Sixteen patients were reported as having enrolled in the trial.