¿ Advanced BioAnalytical Services Inc., of Ithaca, N.Y., said it licensed patent rights for microfluidic handling from Northeastern University. U.S. Patent No. 5,872,010 describes a method for transferring small quantities of fluid from miniaturized devices to off-chip systems for further handling or analysis. ABS received worldwide non-exclusive licensing rights to the patent in addition to sublicensing rights for the patent and any developed technology.

¿ Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., and Biozhem Cosmeceuticals Inc., of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., agreed to give Biozhem the exclusive right to market and sell skin care products containing Advanced Tissue's nutrient solution through infomercials, televised home shopping channels and shopping mall skin care centers and kiosks. The nutrient solution is a byproduct of Advanced Tissue's proprietary tissue engineering manufacturing process.

¿ Aixlie Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Oakton, Va., said it obtained development rights to an autoimmune system-regulating peptide from Ohio State University. Researchers at OSU have shown the unnamed peptide is able to prevent the onset of myelin sheath destruction by the autoimmune system in an accepted animal model of multiple sclerosis, and further showed that the peptide can decrease the process after it starts.

¿ Aphton Inc., of Miami, said its researchers presented data on early clinical research on the company's anti-GnRH immunogen, GnRH pharmaccine, at the CaP CURE 7th Scientific Retreat at Incline Village, Nev. Data from the pilot study indicate that 90 percent of patients suffering from locally advanced prostate cancer developed anti-GnRH antibodies and about half of the patients in that population exhibited a strong anti-GnRH antibody response.

¿ Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, received its first milestone payment from Eli Lilly and Co., of Indianapolis, under their April 14, 2000, research collaboration and license agreement. The payments are based on acceptance of CART-activated versions of three G protein-coupled receptors by Lilly. The first three receptors were selected by Lilly from the endocrine, cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

¿ Biolog Inc., of Hayward, Calif., said it signed its first major licensing agreement, with Paradigm Genetics Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., granting Paradigm access to its Phenotype MicroArray technology for use in determining gene function in agriculturally important fungal species. The multi-year agreement gives Paradigm nonexclusive rights to Biolog products, including the OminiLog PM system, Biolog's high-throughput automated array interpretation system.

¿ Biosyntech Inc., of Laval, Quebec, said it successfully completed preclinical safety and evaluation studies of BST-GEL, an injectable thermo-sensestive hydrogel delivery system. The acute and sub-chronic repeat-dose subcutaneous animal toxicology trials indicated no systemic toxic effects, even at dose levels up to 100 times greater than clinical therapy levels.

¿ Flamel Technologies SA, of Lyon, France, released the successful results of a Phase I study of its proprietary formulation of controlled-release Metformin, a drug used in Type II diabetes treatment either alone or in combination with insulin. Metformin is the third compound that uses Flamel's Micropump technology.

¿ Genzyme Molecular Oncology Corp., of Framingham, Mass., said it grated co-exclusive worldwide marketing rights for Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) technology to Celera Genomics Inc., of Rockville, Md., which will offer the gene expression data through its web-based biological information portal, the Celera Discovery System. The revenue-sharing license will include access to more than 2.5 million gene sequences identified and counted by Genzyme. Genzyme's stock (NASDAQ:GZMO) gained 13 percent Monday to close at $13.25.

¿ Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said preclinical results on HE2200, a second-generation immunomodulator, showed activity in a preclinical model of inflammatory bowel disease. The results were presented in a poster session at the 10th Annual National Inflammation Research Association symposium. In the study, all animals receiving placebo had diarrhea while only two of nine treated with HE2200 had diarrhea.

¿ Incyte Genomics Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., said it awarded its second annual $100,000 Discovery Grant to Gene Robinson, professor and director of the Bee Research Facility at the University of Illinois, Urbana. His proposal focuses on comparative genome organization in Drosophilia and honey bees.

¿ MorphoSys AG, of Munich, Germany, and GPC Biotech AG, of Frankfurt, Germany, reached the first milestone in their immunology collaboration. In the collaboration, MorphoSys developed high-affinity antibodies and GPC Biotech demonstrated these antibodies inhibit T-cell activation in its assays in preclinical studies. MorphoSys received payment from GPC, and GPC has exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of therapeutic antibody products resulting from the project.

¿ NeoTherapeutics Inc., of Irvine, Calif., said it raised $5 million through a private placement of preferred stock convertible to a 10 percent ownership of NeoTherapeutics' functional genomics research subsidiary, NeoGene Technologies Inc., with institutional investors. Proceeds from the placement will fund NeoGene's continued expansion and ongoing research. NeoGene research focuses on orphan receptors, cell process control mechanisms that could hold therapeutic value in combination with the biological agents that act on them.

¿ Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., and Cytogen Corp., of Princeton, N.J., will develop a new vaccine candidate for the treatment of prostate cancer. The vaccine is a recombinant form of the prostate-specific membrane antigen and is meant to stimulate a patient's immune system to recognize and destroy the cancer cells. Preclinical findings on the vaccine were presented at the 7th Annual CaP CURE Scientific Retreat in Incline Village, Nev.

¿ Sequiter Inc., of Natick, Mass., and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., entered a collaboration to provide Vertex with access to Sequiter's antisense compounds, sequence selection and methods to use for target validation studies. Vertex will provide funding support for collaborative research and pay licensing fees. Antisense technology aids in drug targeting and validating by specifically inhibiting gene expression.

¿ Vical Inc., of San Diego, gave interim results from an ongoing Phase II clinical trial testing Leuvectin in prostate cancer patients who have failed radiation therapy. Of the first six patients enrolled in the trial, two have slowed or stopped their increase in serum PSA levels and Leuvectin appears to be safe and well tolerated.