Terrapin Technologies Inc. has agreed to pay the University of TexasHealth Science Center's for-profit affiliate, Biovensa Inc., in excess of$1 million to develop the California-based company's anti-cancer drug,TER 286.Joseph McCracken, Terrapin's vice president of business development,said the total amount of the deal could exceed $1 million if thecollaboration proceeds through completion of clinical trials.Terrapin Technologies, of South San Francisco, has developed TER286 as an anti-tumor agent. The drug targets elevated levels ofglutathione S-transferases (GSTs), which are believed to be associatedwith most tumors. TER 286 remains inactive until it encounters GSTsat the tumor sites where it is designed to become activated and killcancer cells.McCracken said Biovensa has the expertise to "scale up"manufacturing of the drug and to conduct preclinical and clinicalstudies. He said he expects an investigational new drug application willbe filed with the FDA by the end of 1995, but no decision has beenmade on targeting a specific cancer.McCracken said Terrapin, a privately-held company, has raised $13.2million since it was formed in 1986. _ Charles Craig

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