* Alanex Corp., of San Diego, said Novo Nordisk A/S, of Bagsvaerd,Denmark, expanded their deal on diabetes drug development by morethan doubling the research funding for the three-year term of thealliance. In the collaboration, which began in November 1995,Alanex used its computation and combinatorial chemistrytechnologies to identify lead drug candidates based on two genetictargets provided by Novo.

* Cellcor Inc., of Newton, Mass., signed an agreement withNeoprobe Corp., of Dublin, Ohio, for use of Cellcor's manufacturingfacility to make Neoprobe's activated cell therapy product for clinicaldevelopment as a metastatic colorectal cancer treatment.

* Genzyme Transgenics Corp., of Framingham, Mass., has begun aPhase II clinical trial in the U.S. with its lead product, the transgenicform of human antithrombin III, a plasma protein that helps preventharmful blood clotting in many serious medical conditions.

* The Immune Response Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., will collaboratewith The University of California, Los Angeles, on the developmentof a vaccine for brain cancer. Phase I clinical trials have begun andwill enroll up to 12 individuals.

* Life Medical Sciences Inc., of Edison, N.J., began a pivotal clinicaltrial of Piliel, a topical gel for hair regrowth. The trial, expected to becomplete in the fourth quarter of 1997, will involve 120 malesubjects at five centers in Belgium and Holland.

* LXR Biotechnology Inc., of Richmond, Calif., entered anagreement with Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, of Mannheim,Germany, for evaluation of LXR's Maspin protein for treatment ofbreast and prostate cancers. Financial terms were not disclosed.Maspin, a naturally occurring protein, is being developed as a tumorsuppressor for a variety of cancers.

* MedImmune Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., submitted aninvestigational new drug application to the FDA to begin clinicaltrials of a vaccine for prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) ofthe genital tract. HPV is a common sexually transmitted disease inthe U.S. that can cause either benign lesions or lethal cancers.

* MediChem Research Inc., of Lemont, Ill., said it plans to beginclinical trials of its AIDS drug, calanolide A, in early 1997. The drugis a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor targeted for usewith other antiviral AIDS compounds.

* Myriad Genetics Inc., of Salt Lake City, has established a researchcollaboration with The University of Texas M.D. Anderson CancerCenter, of Houston, which will focus on the discovery andsequencing of the gene for hereditary glioma.

* Procept Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., has initiated a Phase I clinicaltrial of its PRO 2000 topical microbicide in Antwerp, Belgium, withdosing to begin in January. The intravaginally-applied gel is designedto protect women from HIV infection and other sexually transmitteddiseases.

* Protein Polymer Technologies Inc., of San Diego, said that theresearch and development phase of its collaboration with EthiconInc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson located in New Brunswick,N.J., has been extended by mutual agreement until Dec. 16, 1997. Inaddition, Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., also of NewBrunswick, will make a further equity investment in Protein Polymer.

* Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., of Collegeville, Pa., received marketingclearance for its anti-cancer drug, Taxotere, in Columbia, Peru,Ecuador, Egypt, Iceland, Bulgaria and Poland. Taxotere is approvedin 44 countries, including the U.S. The drug is marketed in somecountries for both metastatic breast cancer and non-small cell lungcancer.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.