¿ Antisoma plc, of London, said a paper was published in Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology demonstrating Thioplatin's enhanced antitumor activity and lack of side effects relative to cisplatin in model systems. Thioplatin, a platinum-based compound, was licensed in by Antisoma in October.

¿ Axonyx Inc., of New York, said Nasdaq approved its application for listing on the National Market. Axonyx began trading on Nasdaq Friday.

¿ DrugAbuse Sciences Inc., of Los Altos, Calif., completed patient enrollment in its Phase III trial of naltrexone depot, its injectable sustained-release formulation of naltrexone, for the treatment for alcohol dependence. The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled more than 300 alcohol-dependent subjects in 30 medical centers in the United States.

¿ EraGen Biosciences Inc., of Alachua, Fla., and Genome Therapeutics Corp., of Madison, Wis., said they have a product development and marketing collaboration to deliver EraGen's MasterCatalog with Genome Therapeutics' Pathogenome. EraGen said the combination increases the discovery potential for both products.

¿ Hematech LLC, of Westport, Conn., received a milestone payment from Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, from its collaboration, initiated in 1999, on the production of TransChromo animals that express human polyclonal antibodies. In the collaboration, Kirin will pay Hematech research fees, milestones and royalties in exchange for exclusive rights to its technology for the development of human polyclonal antibodies. Further details were not disclosed.

¿ InKine Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., of Blue Bell, Pa., said its product, Hematrol, was designated by the FDA as an orphan drug for the treatment of immune thrombocytopenic purpura. InKine filed for the designation in January and the product is in Phase III trials.

¿ Integrated Health Technologies Inc., of Hillside, N.J., acquired NuCycle Therapy Inc., of Monmouth Junction, N.J. NuCycle Therapy uses proprietary processes to develop nutritional supplements, nutraceuticals and drugs in plants. The combined entity will focus on developing new products for diet, health and quality of life. Financial details were not disclosed.

¿ Integrated Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Boston, said it signed an agreement with one of the world's top three drug companies. The company will provide process development studies using its proprietary technology platform. The specific client name and project were not disclosed.

¿ NaPro BioTherapeutics Inc., of Boulder, Colo., signed a marketing and distribution agreement with F.H. Faulding & Co. Ltd., of Adelaide, Australia, covering the distribution of NaPro paclitaxel in Europe. Faulding will pay an up-front licensing fee of $7.5 million and the firms will share equally in the net sales of the product in the new territories. The agreement adds to the existing arrangements between the companies for the sale by Faulding of Anzatax brand paclitaxel in Australia, Asia, South Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

¿ Nastech Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., of Hauppauge, N.Y., began enrollment in a Phase I trial in the United States to evaluate the nasal administration of a selective serotonergic agent to be used for the treatment of migraine pain. The study is meant to determine nasal absorption, tolerance and safety of this agent in healthy volunteers. Selective serotonergic agents are primarily available in oral dosage form.

¿ PhotoCure ASA, of Oslo, Norway, completed a Phase III trial in the United States with its product, Metvix, in which more than 400 precancerous skin lesions caused by sun damage were treated. The study showed Metvix PDT - photodynamic therapy involving a cream, Metvix, which is then activated by light - completely removed 88 percent of the lesions and improved the cosmetic outcome in the areas treated. Metvix PDT was judged excellent by the investigators in 91 percent of patients.

¿ Repligen Corp., of Needham, Mass., released plans for a Phase II trial of uridine therapy, or a prodrug of uridine (triacetyl uridine, or TAU), in a subset of mitochondrial disease patients based on Phase I data obtained by investigators at the University of California, San Diego. The Phase I results were presented Monday at "Mitochondria 2001," a joint meeting of the Mitochondrial Medicine Society and the Mitochondrial Research Society, in San Diego. The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase II trial will evaluate the potential of TAU to correct kidney disease in patients with mitochondrial disease and renal tubular acidosis.

¿ The Immune Response Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., said its novel mbGM-CSF vaccine appears to protect against the development of melanoma and colorectal cancers and potentially inhibit metastases of pre-existing tumors in mouse models. Membrane Bound Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor is its patented version of the protein GM-CSF. Preclinical data were presented by company scientists at the Keystone Symposium on Cancer Intervention in Durango, Colo., Friday.

¿ TranXenoGen Inc., of Shrewsbury, Mass., licensed on a worldwide basis a novel anticancer product, human antineoplastic urinary protein (ANUP), from Antitumor Research Products Inc., of Memphis. ANUP, originally derived from human urine, is believed to be produced by normal healthy humans as an anticancer surveillance protein. TranXenoGen licensed an issued patent for the use of ANUP as an anticancer agent, as well as additional patent filings as part of the agreement. The deal also includes a small up-front payment and milestone payments to Antitumor Research Products, which may include a small issuance of TranXenoGen stock.

¿ V.I. Technologies Inc., of Watertown, Mass., also known as Vitex, closed a $10 million equity placement with the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. Approximately 1.6 million shares were sold at $6 per share. Vitex focuses on developing products to ensure a safer transfusion blood supply. Its stock (NASDAQ:VITX) closed Monday at $6.75, up about 51.5 cents, or about 8.2 percent.

¿ Vivus Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., and Tanabe Seiyaku Co. Ltd., of Japan, said Vivus has licensed Tanabe's proprietary phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor compound TA-1790 for the oral and local treatment of male and female sexual dysfunction. Vivus has worldwide rights, except in Japan, China and certain Pacific Rim countries, to develop and commercialize TA-1790. Tanabe will be responsible for manufacturing the product and, in exchange, Tanabe has received an undisclosed up-front payment and will receive additional payments based on certain development, regulatory and sales milestones. Tanabe also will receive royalties on net sales of products containing TA-1790.