Biotech trials

British Biotech has won regulatory approval to continue two key drug trials. The go-ahead came as it emerged that Dr Andrew Millar is to start his unfair dismissal case against the company at an industrial tribunal next week.

Dr Millar, British Biotech former head of clinical research, was sacked in April after expressing his doubts on the company's anti-pancreatitis drug Zacutex and Marismastat, a cancer treatment, to a British Biotech shareholder.

The company criticised Dr Millar for lifting the secrecy on two trials of Zacutex and Marimastat - a procedure known as "unblinding" - which could have invalidated the trials.

However, British Biotech, whose shares have fallen 85 per cent since the Millar affair broke, said it was now "satisfied that there are no safety issues which would require these clinical trials to be stopped".