* The Immune Response Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif.,received FDA clearance to test its psoriasis therapy in aPhase II trial.

* Protein Design Labs Inc., of Mountain View, Calif.,began a Phase II trials of its monoclonal antibody fortreatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in AIDSpatients. The studies of the human anti-CMV antibodyare being conducted in association with the NationalInstitute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In addition,Johns Hopkins University and the National Eye Institutewill conduct a separate Phase II/III trial with themonoclonal antibody for CMV in AIDS patients.

* Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., of Collegeville, Pa., saidTaxotere (docetaxel) was approved in Canada as atreatment for refractory breast and non-small cell lungcancers.

* The Massachusetts Biotechnology ResearchOrganization, of Worcester, Mass., was awarded a$500,000 state grant to continue its system for industrydevelopment. The private, not-for-profit organizationaccelerates commercialization of academically basedproducts.

* United Biomedical Inc., of Hauppauge, N.Y., expandedits Phase I trial of its synthetic peptide immunotherapyproduct for the treatment of HIV.

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