Cambridge Biotech Corp. of Worcester, Mass., has received aPhase I small business innovation research grant to develop arecombinant-derived vaccine against cytomegalovirus (CMV)infection. The SBIR grant is less than $100,000, the companysaid.

Cambridge (NASDAQ:CBCX) is developing the vaccine to preventbirth defects caused by transmission of CMV by a mother toher fetus. Between 1971 and 1989, CMV-related birth defectsled to death or severe mental retardation in about 40,000children and deafness or neurological disorders in another60,000. There is no approved vaccine.

Cambridge will test the ability of its Stimulon adjuvant toboost an animal's immune response to CMV surface antigenglycoprotein vaccine developed at the University of Alabama,Birmingham. The study will compare Stimulon with Freundanimal adjuvant and with Alum, the only human adjuvantapproved by the Food and Drug Administration. The U.S.Department of Agriculture last year approved Stimulon for usein the company's feline leukemia vaccine.

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