¿ Agilent Technologies Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., and Rosetta Inpharmatics Inc., of Kirkland, Wash., said the Center for Genomics Research at Harvard University agreed to license the Rosetta Resolver Expression Data Analysis System, a bioinformatics system for gene expression research. The center will use the Resolver to analyze data from DNA chip technologies, including Affymetrix Inc. GeneChip arrays.

¿ Alza Corp., of Mountain View, Calif., said it will offer qualified institutional investors $500 million in zero-coupon subordinated debentures convertible into Alza common stock. Alza's sales are focused on the oncology, urology and central nervous system markets.

¿ Aurora Biosciences Corp., of San Diego, said it will use a three-year Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grant of $1.35 million from the National Cancer Institute to expand a project on identification of immunomodulatory agents using its GenomeScreen technology and drug discovery capabilities. The goal is to identify leads that are able to modulate human T lymphocytes for therapeutic benefit in various indications.

¿ Biomatrix Inc., of Ridgefield, N.J., is the subject of a class-action lawsuit that alleges the company exaggerated medical community acceptance of Synvisc in treating osteoarthritis and artificially inflated sales of the product, resulting in artificially high stock prices.

¿ Calydon Inc.-engineered adenovirus-based gene therapy drugs could be safer and more viable when used in conjunction with a screening immunoassay to detect pre-existing elevated antibody levels and immunoapheresis technologies to cleanse the blood of excess antibodies, according to an article in the July 20 issue of Human Gene Therapy. Calydon, of Sunnyvale, Calif., will use its proprietary SIAPA screening technology with prostate cancer patients under consideration for IV treatment with experimental drug CV787.

¿ Chirex Inc., of Stamford, Conn., entered an agreement to be acquired by French specialty chemical maker Rhodia, of Paris, for $31.25 per share in cash, a package valued at about $510 million. Rhodia said it expects its offer for the pharmaceutical outsourcing company to commence early next month.

¿ Invitrogen Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., said it entered a licensing agreement for the commercialization rights on three thermostable DNA-modifying enzymes with Diversa Corp., of San Diego. The DNA polymerases, used in genomics research, are the first commercial products licensed through an enzyme evaluation agreement the companies signed last year.

¿ Neurocrine Biosciences Inc., of San Diego, reached a final agreement related to European and Asian distribution of NBI-6024, its altered peptide ligand for diabetes, with Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Tokyo. The deal was disclosed in January. The agreement is valued at $45 million, including an undisclosed signing fee, milestone payments, development expense reimbursement and royalties on sales. Neurocrine also said the drug completed a 20-patient, single-dose, dose-escalation Phase I study, and that two multiple-dose studies are slated for later this year. (See BioWorld Today, Jan. 7, 2000, p. 1.)

¿ Pharmacyclics Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., said 300 of 425 patients have been enrolled in its Phase III trial of Xcytrin for the treatment of brain metastases, and enrollment is expected to be complete by the end of the year. The company reported the update after independent researchers questioned the drug's effectiveness in an article published in Barron's on Sunday. The company's stock (NASDAQ:PCYC) fell $11.56, or 17 percent, Monday.

¿ Tecan Inc., of Zurich, Switzerland, said it acquired Gamera Bioscience Corp., of Boston, a high-throughput assay developer, for $10 million. The deal includes Gamera's lab-on-a-chip technology, LabCD, a compact disc that uses microscale fluid paths to combine high-throughput assaying and software to handle up to thousands of processes simultaneously. Tecan said it hopes to launch LabCD within two years.

¿ Vion Pharmaceuticals Inc., of New Haven, Conn., said Phase I trials of the bacterial vector TAPET (Tumor Amplified Protein Expression Therapy) are under way at The Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, England. The study, the second to administer TAPET intravenously, is expected to include 48 patients and yield information on the safety and tolerability of the tumor inhibitor.