LONDON ¿ SR Pharma plc, of London, has agreed to a second nonexclusive licensing deal with Corixa Corp., of Seattle, which allows Corixa to use SRL172 (Mycobacterium vaccae) as an adjuvant in vaccines. The agreement covers cancers, infectious diseases and selected autoimmune diseases not covered by the earlier agreement between the two companies. Specific terms were not disclosed, but the deal includes a license fee, milestones and royalties. SRL 172 is in Phase III trials for lung cancer.

SR Pharma¿s first deal with Corixa in December 1998 covered psoriasis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, with Corixa also taking options to exclusively license related products for the treatment of three additional autoimmune diseases.

Corixa is testing a formulation of delipidated, de-glycolipidated M. vaccae, based on a SR Pharma¿s proprietary process and formulation for heat-killed M.vaccae, in a clinical trial for psoriasis, taking place in the Philippines. Preliminary data from this trial suggests that the formulation is safe and well tolerated, and a number of patients have shown significant objective clinical responses. ¿ Nuala Moran