SAN DIEGO, July 13, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Market (Nasdaq:MNOV) and the Hercules Market of the Osaka Securities Exchange (Code Number: 4875), today announced the proposed final protocol for its Phase II clinical trial (MN-221-CL-007), which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of MN-221 in patients with severe, acute exacerbations of asthma. Following a more comprehensive pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis and model of data from previous Phase II clinical trials, it was determined that the dose of 1,200 micrograms of MN-221 administered over one hour may provide greater potential efficacy without conferring additional risk to patients. As such, dosing in the MN-221-CL-007 clinical trial will now compare standardized care only to standardized care plus MN-221 at a dose of 1,200 micrograms administered over one hour rather than at a dose of 250 micrograms administered over 15 minutes, as previously contemplated.