• Carna Biosciences Inc., of Kobe, Japan, signed agreements with Bio-Connect BV and KinaseDetect ApS and appointed them distributors to sell protein kinases, with Bio-Connect getting rights in Germany, the UK, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, and KinaseDetect gaining rights in the Scandinavian countries. Carna has produced more than 240 protein kinases using its gene cloning, active protein expression and protein purification technologies. Financial terms were not disclosed.

• Molecular Profiling Institute Inc., of Phoenix, entered a venture with U.S. Oncology, of Houston, a national cancer treatment and research network, to create the Tissue Banking and Analysis Center Inc. (TBAC) for handling a large volume of biospecimen collection and analytical services. In collaboration with U.S. Oncology and AmeriPath, a network of pathologists in cancer diagnosis, TBAC will provide access to tissue samples, clinical trial design, biomarker development and esoteric testing under government and industry scientists.

• Neose Technologies Inc., of Horsham, Pa., received a research milestone payment from Novo Nordisk A/S, of Bagsvaerd, Denmark, under a license agreement entered November 2003 for the use of Neose's GlycoPEGylation technology to develop next-generation versions of Factors VIII and IX. The company also is working with Novo to develop a next-generation version of Factor VIIa.

• Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Princeton, N.J., said its parent company, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., received tentative FDA approval of Risperidone oral solution 1 mg/mL in schizophrenia. The company anticipates launching the product in the U.S. following final approval.

• Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc., of East Brunswick, N.J., completed the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd., to an entity affiliated with Close Brothers Private Equity for $176 million. Rosemont develops, manufactures and markets oral liquid medicines in the UK. Net proceeds from the transaction are expected to be about $140 million for Savient, which is finalizing a plan to repurchase outstanding shares of stock. The proceeds will allow Savient to focus on Puricase (PEG-uricase) for failure gout, and to explore clinical outcomes of the product in the areas of reduction of gout flares and elimination of gout tophi. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as financial adviser to Savient.

• Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Irvine, Calif., said its licensor for ozarelix, AEterna Zentaris Inc., of Quebec, entered a licensing and collaboration agreement with Nippon Kayaku Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, for the fourth-generation luteinizing hormone-release hormone antagonist. Nippon has an exclusive license to develop and market ozarelix for all potential oncology indications in Japan. AEterna will receive an up-front payment and certain development and regulatory milestones payments, as well as low double-digit royalties. Spectrum is entitled to receive 50 percent of the up-front and milestone payments and royalties received under the agreement. Ozarelix is being developed to treat hormone-dependent prostate cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

• Tanox Inc., of Houston, said the FDA is requiring an additional dose-finding study of TNX-355, an antibody in development for HIV/AIDS, though the agency said an appropriately designed trial could serve as one of the pivotal studies needed for a biologics license application submission. The company expects to continue discussions with the FDA over the next several weeks, and said its anticipated BLA submission might be delayed. TNX-355, a viral entry inhibitor, has fast-track designation in the U.S.