¿ Phytopharm plc, of Godmanchester, Cambridge shire, has received approval to start a Phase IIa trial of P54 in cancer of the colon. P54, which contains a standardized extract of two plants, inhibits the induction of the inflammatory enzyme, cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2). A Phase II study of P54, licensed from Phytochemindo, of Indonesia, is under way in osteoarthritis, with results expected in the second quarter of of 1999.

¿ SR Pharma, of London, entered a research collaboration with Genesis Research and Development Cor poration, of New Zealand, to jointly exploit certain aspects of SR¿s immunotherapeutic agent Mycobacterium vaccae. The agreement currently covers asthma, tuberculosis and leprosy, with an option to extend to other therapeutic uses.