* Deltagen Inc., of San Carlos, Calif., signed a research agreement withRoche Bioscience, of Palo Alto, Calif., to validate target genes. Roche will provide up to 10 target genes to Deltagen, which will then use its knockout technology initially to provide custom knockout mice to Roche. Financial terms were not disclosed.

* Ilex Oncology Inc., of San Antonio, Texas, and Symphar SA, of Geneva, Switzerland, co-developers of SR-45023A, began enrolling patients with metastatic cancer in a Phase I study at the University of Arizona. SR-45023A is an orally active, bisphosphonate ester derivative.

* Inhibitex Inc., of Norcross, Ga., signed an exclusive licensing and research agreement with the University of Pavia, in Pavia, Italy, covering rights to the university's existing library of proprietary monoclonal antibodies, as well as to future discoveries resulting from the collaboration. The collaboration will try to identify murine monoclonal antibodies for use in the prevention or treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. Inhibitex will fund one year of research, aimed at the discovery of monoclonal antibodies at the university. Inhibitex has the right to extend the agreement for an additional three years, based upon the achievement of specific technological milestones.

* La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co., of San Diego, reported that its discovery of the binding region for antibodies believed to cause antiphospholipid syndrome was published in the most recent issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The disease is a blood-clotting condition caused by antibodies and can result in stroke, heart attack and deep vein thrombosis.