Chemex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CHMX) has filed aninvestigational new drug application (IND) for its proprietarycompound, Masoprocol, as a treatment for basal cell carcinoma,squamous cell carcinoma, Kaposi's sarcoma and Bowen's disease.The Fort Lee, N.J.-based company hopes to begin a Phase I safety andefficacy trial of Masoprocol as a treatment for basal cell carcinoma inJune and to complete the two-center study by the end of the thirdquarter. The product, based on an extract from the creosote bush, willbe administered topically as a 10 percent Masoprocol cream. Clinicaltrials of the drug as a treatment for the other three forms of skin cancerwill await the results of the basal cell trial, according to AtulKhandwala, executive vice president.Masoprocol is also being studied in vitro as a treatment to reversemultiple drug resistance in cervical tumors. Khandwala said the pre-clinical studies showed convincingly that the drug does reverse thiscondition. Unlike verapamil, which works by remaining present in thetumor for a long period, Chemex's product increases the influx ofMasoprocol into the tumor, Khandwala said. "We believe this is anadvantage," he noted._ Philippa Maister

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