* NPS Pharmaceuticals, of Salt Lake City, has earned a $3 millionmilestone payment from SmithKline Beecham for progress in thedevelopment of osteoporosis therapies.

* Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it hasearned $5 million in milestone payments and option fees from GlaxoWellcome Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., and KisseiPharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Japan, at the end of 1995. The paymentsare for development and commercialization of an HIV proteaseinhibitor designed by Vertex called VX-478.

* Protein Design Labs Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., has enteredinto a collaboration with a Japanese pharmaceutical company tohumanize a mouse monoclonal antibody for potential use in treatinginfectious diseases. Protein Design can earn milestone payments androyalties on product sales and has an option for co-promotion inNorth America. The company would not identify the Japanese firmnor would it reveal financial details of the deal, which is the sixthcorporate alliance for 10-year-old Protein Design.

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