Chiron Diagnostics, of East Walpole, Mass., a business unit of Chiron Corp., of Emoryville, Calif., and Metra Biosystems Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., reported the international market launch of Chiron Diagnostics' ACS:180 DPD, the first fully automated test for bone resorption. The assay, based on Metra's Pyrilinks D technology, was designed by Chiron Diagnostics for use on its ACS:180 automated immunoassay system and is now available for sale to clinical laboratories worldwide to identify and evaluate patients at risk for bone loss.

Sonus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Bothell, Wash., completed an image optimization trial with Hewlett Packard Co.'s Imaging Systems Division, of Palo Alto, Calif. The purpose of the trial was to determine the optimal system control parameters required to provide the highest level of cardiac image enhancement using EchoGen Emulsion. Eighteen individuals were given EchoGen contrast agent and scanned using an HP Sonus 2500 LE echocardiography.

Gen-Probe Inc., of San Diego, Organon Teknika B.V., of Durham, N.C. and Stanford University, of Palo Alto, Calif., finalized agreements that eliminate uncertainties over patent rights to transcription-based amplification that each owns. Stanford will convert Gen-Probe's exclusive license to its patent rights in the field to a co-exclusive license to enable both Gen-Probe and Organon Teknika to practice under those patents. Organon Teknika and Gen-Probe signed a mutual non-assertion agreement that permits each to practice and license its respective version of transcription-based amplification without being concerned about possible infringement of the other party's patents.

Gull Laboratories Inc., of Salt Lake City, signed an agreement to acquire the $8.3 million diagnostics business of Fresenius AG, of Bad Homburg vor der Hoche, Germany. Fresenius AG will receive 1.32 million additional shares of Gull Laboratories common stock as consideration for Gull Laboratories' purchase of the diagnostics business. Fresenius' shares of common stock in Gull will increase from 55 percent to 62 percent. The transaction is expected to be completed by the middle of 1997.

Hemagen Diagnostics Inc., of Waltham, Mass., obtained FDA clearance to market a new kit for the quantitative measurement of rheumatoid factor as an aid in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The kit is the first FDA-cleared product of Hemagen's Raichem (Reagents Applications Inc.) subsidiary in San Diego since it was acquired in 1996.

Oncor Inc. of Gaithersburg, Md., obtained a worldwide license to U.S. Patent 5,552,277 for genetic diagnosis of prostate cancer from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, of Baltimore, where it was demonstrated that loss of expression of the Glutathione-S-Transferase gene (GSTP1) is a very early genetic change in the development of prostate cancer. The loss of expression is due to aberrant methylation of the GSTP1 gene promoter region. Studies at Johns Hopkins demonstrated aberrant methylation changes in almost all prostate tumors tested while normal prostate tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia from the same individual showed no GSTP1 gene methylation changes.

Briana Bio-Tech Inc., of Edmonton, Alberta, entered into an agreement with Qualia Computing Inc., of Beavercreek, Ohio, for a worldwide, exclusive license to commercialize and market a CADx (computer assisted diagnostic) system for the analysis and interpretation of mammagraphic films. In return for these license rights, the company agreed to fund the development of CADx system as well as to provide royalty and milestone payments.