Gynex Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced Monday that its steroidOxandrin (oxandrolone) is now available to treat delayedgrowth in boys under a treatment investigational new drugdesignation.

The drug is still in Phase III clinicals, but the treatment INDallows the company to charge for the drug on a physician'sorder to recover cost of production, distribution and research.Use in the clinical trial continues to be at no charge.

A year's therapy with the steroid, which the Vernon Hills, Ill.,company has licensed exclusively from G.D. Searle & Co., willcost $1,000 to $2,000.

One-third of boys with constitutional delay of growth andpuberty are currently treated by doctors for the condition.

Girls with Turner's syndrome, who are short because they aremissing an X chromosome, are also receiving oxandrolone andrecombinant growth hormone in clinical trials.

Gynex has won orphan drug designation for oxandrolone foruse as a metabolic stimulant in AIDS and for its use in Turner's.

Gynex stock (NASDAQ:GYNX) closed Monday at $1.31, up 19cents .

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