¿ AMBI Inc., of Purchase, N.Y., said its Chromax chromium picolinate product reduced or eliminated symptoms of diabetes in 41 of 44 patients with steroid-induced diabetes. The trial was conducted in Israel. Results were published in the journal Diabetic Medicine.

¿ Aronex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas, said researchers in Spain presented data on Nyotran demonstrating broad antifungal activity against filamentous fungi. The in vitro study tested Aronex¿s injectable form of nystatin in 100 fungal samples, and showed it compared favorably to approved antifungal drugs. Results were presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, in Berlin.

¿ Antisoma plc, of London, said the FDA granted orphan designation to the company¿s lead product, Theragyn, which is being developed for adjuvant treatment of ovarian cancer. Theragyn is in Phase III studies in North America, Europe and Australia.

¿ Aronex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas, regained worldwide rights to Atragen from Genzyme Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., in a move that had been previously contemplated. A new drug application for Atragen, an injectable form of tretinoin, was filed in December seeking approval as a treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia.

¿ Biota Holdings Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, said Glaxo Wellcome Australia, also of Melbourne, received approval to market Relenza (zanamivir for inhalation) for the treatment of influenza. Biota will get a royalty of 10 percent on sales in Australia. Last month an advisory committee in the U.S. recommended against approving the drug there, though Glaxo still hopes discussions with the FDA lead to its approval. Marketing applications are under review in Europe, Canada and the U.S.

¿ Calypte Biomedical Corp., of Alameda, Calif., netted about $7 million from a financing in which it sold 3.4 million shares. Pacific Growth Equities Inc., of San Francisco, was placement agent. Calypte has three approved HIV tests.

¿ Cypress Bioscience Inc., of San Diego, met all contingencies and closed its previously declared partnership with Fresenius AG, of Bad Homburg, Germany. The agreement provides Fresenius with an exclusive license to distribute the Prosorba column for rheumatoid arthritis in the U.S., Europe, Latin America and, subject to certain conditions, Japan and certain Asian countries.

¿ Human Genome Sciences Inc., of Rockville, Md., said its joint-venture company, Vascular Genetics Inc., has completed a private placement of preferred stock to finance its operations. After the transaction, Human Genome Sciences will own about 29 percent of Vascular Genetics¿ equity. The undisclosed investment is a private placement on behalf of a consortium represented by Century Capital Associates, of Princeton, N.J. More funds would be invested depending on progress at the company, which is developing vascular endothelial growth factor-2. Among the company¿s founders are Human Genome Sciences, of Rockville, Md., and Jeffrey Isner, a gene therapy pioneer.

¿ The Immune Response Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., said an independent monitoring board decided to postpone an interim analysis of efficacy in a Phase III trial of Remune until virological data also are available. Remune is being studied in a 2,500-patient trial to assess the immune stimulant¿s effect on HIV treatment. The analysis is expected to be performed in the coming weeks, the company said.

¿ SciClone Pharmaceuticals, of San Mateo, Calif., said Zadaxin thymosin alpha 1 was approved in Pakistan, the 13th country to approve the drug. The company said it will position Zadaxin in Pakistan for treating hepatitis B, hepatitis C and various cancers.

¿ Sepracor Inc., of Marlborough, Mass., said the FDA approved Xopenex (levalbuterol) inhalation solution in two dosage strengths for use with a nebulizer in preventing and treating bronchospasms. Xopenex is the therapeutically active R-isomer of racemic albuterol.