* Sequus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Menlo Park, Calif., has taken a step toward broadening the market for its Doxil anticancer drug, currently approved for AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. In a Phase I/II trial five breast cancer patients, out of a total of 19 evaluable patients with various cancers, benefited from the drug. The results suggest "Doxil is an excellent drug to employ in combination regimens with other effective chemotherapeutic drugs," said M. Jahanzeb, of Miami-based Comprehensive Cancer Research Group, the non-profit agency that conducted the study.

* Introgen Therapeutics Inc., of Austin, Texas, and its partner, RPR Gencell, a division of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., of Collegeville, Pa., reported a Phase I clinical trial, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Cancer Center, found the tumor suppressor p53 gene was safe and had a positive impact on patients with head and neck cancer. The p53 treatment also resulted in tumor regression in several patients who could not undergo surgery for recurrent tumors. Introgen also reported that its study using the p53 gene was well tolerated and showed evidence of clinical activity in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

* Pharmos Corp., of Alachua, Fla., has completed two placebo-controlled studies that show its experimental treatment for seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC), LE-Allergy, is as safe as and more effective than placebo. The studies followed 268 patients over a six-week period. LE-Allergy contains a lower dose of the same active ingredient--an ocular corticosteroid called loteprednol etabonate--as Lotemax, which completed Phase III trials earlier this year. Pharmos has submitted new drug applications for both drugs as treatments for SAC.