* Sensus Drug Development Corp., of Austin, Texas, opened anoperations center in San Bruno, Calif. The company is developinggrowth hormone antagonists for applications in disorders, such asdiabetes, kidney disease, restenosis and cancer.

* Advanced Magnetics Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., and Germany-based Schering AG cross-licensed patents related to magneticresonance imaging contrast agents involving superparamagnetic ironoxide.

* Genosys Biotechnologies Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas,purchased U.K.-based Cambridge Research Biochemicals' catalogueresearch products, including antibodies to oncoproteins and celladhesion molecules and peptides and enzyme substrates. Financialterms were not disclosed. Cambridge Research is a subsidiary ofLondon-based Zeneca Ltd.

* ChemTrak Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., filed a premarket approvalapplication with the FDA for its home HIV test. Users prick theirfingers, put two drops of blood on a special paper and mail thespecimen to ChemTrak for analysis. A week later they telephone thecompany's counseling center, provide their identification numberand get the results. If the test is positive, they receive referrals tolocal care facilities.

* Procept Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., began a Phase I study of itslead product, PRO 2000, for HIV-1 in the U.K. The drug is designedto bind to CD4 receptors and block HIV from infecting T cells. Thecompany said if the Phase 1 trial is positive, it will conduct efficacystudies in the U.S. and Europe.

* Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass. initiated asecond clinical trial of its multidrug resistance compound, VX-710,for cancer patients undergoing treatment with doxorubicin. The firstPhase I study, started last November, is testing VX-710 inassociation with Taxol. Both trials are in the U.S.

* Medarex Inc., of Annandale, N.J., filed an investigational new drugapplication with the FDA to begin clinical trials of its MDX-210Bispecific antibody therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. The studywill involve 30 patients who have not responded to other forms oftreatment.

* Unigene Laboratories Inc., of Fairfield, N.J., entered into acollaboration with Yale University School of Medicine in NewHaven, Conn., to research use of amidated peptides to treatosteoporosis by inhibiting bone loss or stimulating bone growth.

* Quintiles Transnational Corp., of Research Triangle Park, N.C.,opened a subsidiary in Milan, Italy, called Quintiles S.r.l. Quintiles,which held an initial public offering last April, is a contract researchorganization.

* SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Mateo, Calif., acquiredrights to develop Zadaxin, or thymosin alpha 1, in South Korea fromCheil America, a subsidiary of South Korea-based Cheil Foods andChemicals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

* Interneuron Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., extendedthe expiration of its class B warrants to June 30. The previousexpiration date was March 7. Each warrant is redeemable for oneshare of common stock at $4.75. The number of outstandingwarrants totals about 2.65 million.

* Introgen Therapeutics Inc., of Houston, and RPR Gencell, adivision of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., of Collegeville, Pa., said apatient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer became the firstperson to receive an injection of a p53/retrovirus gene therapy intoexisting tumor cells. The Phase I study is being conducted at TheUniversity of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

* Tularik Inc., of South San Francisco, is collaborating withSumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, on theresearch and development of small molecules that act by up-regulating the low density lipoprotein receptor to lower the amountof serum cholesterol in those with hypercholesterolemia.

* Genta Inc., of San Diego, said an antisense drug targeted againstthe BCL-2 gene was effective against drug-resistant canceroustumors in certain animals models of follicular lymphoma and coloncancer.

* CellPro Inc., of Seattle, said it started direct sales of its CEPRATESC Stem Cell Concentration System in Canada.

* Gensia Inc., of San Diego, extended an exclusive distributionsystem with The Laryngeal Mask Co. Ltd. for the sales andmarketing of the Laryngeal Mask Airway.

* The Liposome Co. Inc., of Princeton, N.J., received approval tomarket Abelcet (amphotericin B lipid complex) in the U.K. as a first-line treatment of cryptococcal meningitis and systemiccryptococcosis in patients with AIDS, and for severe systemic fungalinfections in refractory patients.

* CSL Ltd., of Australia, and the Merck Vaccine Division of Merck& Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., are collaborating to developa vaccine against the human papilloma virus to prevent genital wartsand cervical cancer.

* InflaZyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Vancouver, B.C., said its drugIZP-94005 was effective in experimental models of arthritis.

* ID Biomedical Corp., of Vancouver, B.C., extended for ninemonths its collaborative research agreement with the New EnglandDeaconess Hospital, of Boston, dealing with the development of adirect HIV test using the company's Cycling Probe Technology.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.