¿ AnorMed Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said underwriters for its initial public offering exercised their overallotment option on an additional 160,000 shares at C$6.10 (US$4.08) per share, bringing gross proceeds to C$31.48 million. (See BioWorld Today, March 17, 1999, p. 1.)

¿ BioChem Pharma Inc., of Laval, Quebec, said data presented at a liver conference in Europe showed fewer hepatitis B patients treated with Zeffix (lamivudine) progressed to cirrhosis compared to those treated with interferon-alpha or placebo. Three studies totaling 578 patients assessed liver inflammation over one year. The drug already is approved for hepatitis B.

¿ Genetronics Biomedical Ltd., of San Diego, received a $99,995 Phase I small business innovation research grant from the National Institutes of Health for its study of in vivo skin-targeted gene therapy by electroporation.

¿ Incyte Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office declared interferences between pending patent applications licensed to Incyte and two separate patents issued to Affymetrix Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif. That proceeding is called when more than one party claims the same invention and is used to determine which is entitled to the patent. The action stems from the September lawsuit from Affymetrix alleging infringement of the patent numbers 5,744,305 and 5,800,992. Affymetrix said it was unclear what effect this would have on its April 30 hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction.

¿ Xenometrix Inc., of Boulder, Colo., granted Motorola Inc., of Schaumburg, Ill., a non-exclusive worldwide license to gene expression profiling technology covered under Xenometrix patents. Terms were not disclosed. Xenometrix, which got an extension of bridge notes until June 15, still is seeking strategic alternatives such as the sale of the company.