LONDON - Scotia Holdings plc was awarded FDA orphan drug status for Foscan, its photodynamic cancer therapy, in the treatment of head and neck cancers in patients considered incurable with surgery and radiotherapy. The company's stock price rose by 13 pence to #1.45 when the news was announced.

Foscan was submitted in September 1999, and has fast-track status, so the outcome should be known by April. At the same time the company said the European Medicines Evaluation Agency has accepted Foscan for review. However, there is no fast-track mechanism, so approval could not be expected before October 2000.

Scotia, of Stirling, Scotland, is in partnership negotiations for Foscan, after its previous partner, Boehringer Ingelheim, withdrew a year ago. Last month the company announced plans to begin trials of Foscan in four further cancer indications, and to commence trials of a second- generation photosensitizer, SQN400, which has the potential to treat larger tumors. - Nuala Moran