¿ Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc, of Melbourn, UK, entered a license agreement with Immunex Corp., of Seattle, for CAT's antibody phage display library. Immunex will use the library in its drug discovery programs and receive eight exclusive therapeutic antibody product options. CAT will receive a license fee, clinical milestones and payments on product sales. This furthers CAT's commercial strategy of entering broad alliances for the discovery and development of human antibody-based drugs, which it views as the way to extract maximum returns from its broad antibody platform.

¿ Chemunex SA, of Ivry-sur-Seine, France, used its ChemScan microbial analyzer to develop a quick method for detecting pathogenic amoeba in water. The technology has been applied for several months at a nuclear power station in France. It yields results within four hours, whereas conventional methods take several days. The technique was developed by researchers at the French National Scientific Research Center (CNRS) on behalf of the French power utility, Electriciti de France, which generates some four-fifths of its electricity from nuclear energy. Using the Chemunex microbial testing device as a basis, the CNRS researchers developed the specific testing protocol and reagents required for this particular application. The CNRS is now planning to apply the same technology to the detection of other pathogenic microorganisms that could be responsible for human health scares.

¿ Genset Corp., the La Jolla, Calif., subsidiary of Paris-based Genset SA, and researchers at Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital in Paris established a genetic relationship between Type II diabetes and obesity. The research was conducted on over 600 obese juveniles who also were insulin resistant. It effectively identified a role for DNA sequence variations on chromosome 11, and more specifically, in a region known to control insulin production. Known as VNTR, for Variable Number of Tandem Repeats, these DNA variations exist in either long or short form, and it was found that patients possessing the short form of VNTR tend to produce higher levels of insulin than those with the long form.

¿ NicOx SA, of Sophia Antipolis, France, reported positive clinical results in the treatment of skin inflammation for HCT 1026, its nitric oxide-releasing derivative of the non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent flurbiprofen. A dermatological study of skin inflammation induced by UV light showed "potent anti-inflammatory activity, similar to that of a class II steroid," with "excellent local and general safety." The trial tested two concentrations of HCT 1026, 0.3% and 1%, vs. a class II steroid cream and placebo, but only the higher dose proved effective. HCT 1026 1% already demonstrated similar anti-inflammatory activity in the treatment of contact urticaria, a clinical model of dermatitis. The compound is also in Phase II clinical trials for the indications of urinary incontinence and osteoporosis.

¿ Protherics plc, of Macclesfield, UK, said its hypertension vaccine will enter Phase II, following Phase I results showing the product lowered blood pressure in healthy volunteers. The company said it saw good antibody titers and an effect on diastolic blood pressure in line with titers. The vaccine is designed to reduce the number and dose of drugs needed to control hypertension. Protherics plans to start a Phase IIa trial this month. The trial will involve 24 patients with hypertension to establish dosing.

¿ The German Research Ministry initiated a DM40 million (US$18 million) program on bacterial genomics. The money is earmarked for meshing a network of competence between academic and industry research sites in bacterial genomics. The program will run up to three years and focus on medical and veterinary aspects of bacterial genomics, on analysis of microbial biodiversity to find new organisms for production, and on genomics of bacteria for agriculture, biotechnology and environmental issues, according to the ministry.

¿ Virax Holdings Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, said it will start Phase I trials of an anti-AIDS live viral vaccine using its Co-X-Gene platform technology next year. The treatment, which uses genes coded for a conserved part of the AIDS virus as well as a booster to stimulate T-cell production, will be tested on 36 patients. In the trials, to be conducted in association with the National Centre for HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research in Australia, each patient will receive a series of injections over 12 months.