* The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruledunconstitutional a Vermont law requiring dairy manufacturers tolabel products made with milk from cows that receive recombinantbovine somatotropin (BST), a growth hormone, to boost milkproduction. The court agreed with the appellants _ InternationalDairy Foods Association, Milk Industry Foundation, International IceCream Association, National Cheese Institute, GroceryManufacturers of America Inc. and National Food ProcessorsAssociation _ that Vermont's labeling law violated their FirstAmendment rights by compelling them to speak against their will.The court noted "it is undisputed that the dairy products derived fromherds treated with BST are indistinguishable from products fromuntreated herds."

* Amgen Inc., of Thousand Oaks, Calif., began the first humanclinical trial of its glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in peoplewith Parkinson's disease. The study is designed primarily to evaluatesafety and tolerability in patients with moderate to severe disease. Itis expected to last 12 to 15 months.

* Chiron Corp., of Emeryville, Calif., and Ciba-Geigy Corp., ofTarrytown, N.Y., said they received FDA approval to market Aredia(pamidronate disodium for injection) to treat patients with osteolyticbone metastases of breast cancer, in conjunction with standardantineoplastic therapy. The drug reduces the incidence of skeletalcomplications of metastatic breast cancer.

* IDEC Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, began a Phase I/II trialincorporating it radioimmunotherapy treatment for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, IDEC-Y2B8, and its lead product, IDEC-C2B8. Pretreatment with IDEC-C2B8 is intended to maximize tumorlocalization and efficacy of subsequently administered IDEC-Y2B8.

* MedImmune Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., decided to locate its $50million manufacturing facility in Frederick, Md. The company alsoplans to begin a $6.5 million expansion of its Gaithersburg facilities.

* Protein Polymer Technologies Inc., of San Diego, said it raisedmore than $800,000 from the exercisement of warrants from holdersof Series B preferred stock. The holders acquired 322,663 shares ofunregistered stock.

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