OncoGeneX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the development of novel therapeutics that target important mechanisms of treatment resistance in cancer, has just announced it has signed an initial agreement contract with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. to reclaim rights to custirsen, an experimental drug currently undergoing Phase III clinical testing as a potential treatment for lung and prostate cancer. The agreement to transfer the rights to the investigational compound is in line with the two parties' 2009 termination of collaboration. "Teva's strategic focus has shifted away from oncology research and development. However, OncoGenex remains committed to the continued investigation of custirsen, particularly in patients who have advancing disease despite previous treatments," said Scott Cormack, President and CEO of OncoGenex, in a press release. "This agreement provides OncoGenex with greater control of custirsen's development, including the modification of the enspirit statistical analysis plan to involve a more rigorous second interim futility analysis