* American Biogenetic Sciences Inc. (ABS), of Copiague, N.Y., signed an agreement with Trevigen Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., to produce four monoclonal antibodies using ABS' patented Antigen Free technology, in exchange for payments and royalties. ABS also will receive a 5 percent royalty on all products developed under the agreement, and will retain manufacturing rights for the antibodies. Trevigen focuses on diagnostic tests and screening assays.

* Diversa Corp., of San Diego, received a $578,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health for a project titled "Development of a high-throughput enzyme discovery system." The automated system will simultaneously perform multiple assays on hundreds of thousands of clones per week, enabling more rapid identification of useful enzymes, the company said.

* Immunomedics Inc., of Morris Plains, N.J., said a planned joint venture with Beckman Coulter, of Fullerton, Calif., will involve a next-generation cancer therapy called the affinity-enhancement system. The system uses bispecific antibodies carrying therapeutic radionuclides to cancer cells. The new company, called IBC Pharmaceuticals, will be responsible for developing products based on the proprietary technology.