* Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd., of Shiga, Japan licensed technology fromIndiana University School of Medicine to boost transductionefficiency in retroviral gene therapy. The school's researchers, alongwith scientists from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., andTakara developed a method of using fibronectin fragments to helpinsert genes into stem cells with retroviruses.

* Repligen Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., said it collected more than$10.8 million from the fourth and final installment to RepligenClinical Partners L.P., formed to finance development of recombinantplatelet factor-4.

* RiboGene Inc., of Hayward, Calif., is going into Phase I studieswith its lead anti-fungal compound, RG-201, for the treatment ofPneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

* Roche Laboratories, of Nutley, N.J., announced the availability ofCellCept (mycophenolate mofetil capsules) for prevention of organrejection in kidney transplant patients.

* The U.S. Department of Agriculture and France's nationalagricultural research center are collaborating on developing methodsto transfer new genes into insects and other invertebrates.

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