* Cypress Bioscience Inc., of San Diego, extended the expirationdate of its common stock purchase warrants dated Aug. 29, 1996,until Dec. 31, 1996. The warrants, stemming from a 1.85-million-unitoffering in 1991, entitle holders to purchase one common share at$2.50.

* NeXstar Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Boulder, Colo., signed a researchand development deal with Roche Molecular Systems Inc., ofBranchburg, N.J., involving one application of NeXstar's SELEXcombinatorial chemistry process. NeXstar will develop syntheticDNA molecules called aptamers that can be used in the PCR process.NeXstar received an initial payment and potential milestones androyalties.

* Quintiles Transnational Corp., of Research Triangle Park, N.C.,signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire BRI International Inc.,a contract research organization based in Arlington, Va., for 1.9million shares of Quintiles stock. BRI, with 445 employees in theU.S. and Europe, had $42.6 million in revenues for the year endedNov. 30, 1995.

* Scriptgen Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Medford, Mass., raised $5.6million in a Series C preferred share financing, bringing to $18.4million the company has raised. The company is developing oraldrugs to regulate gene expression, with an initial focus on antifungalagents effective against resistant organisms.

* The Liposome Co. Inc., of Princeton, N.J., received approval inGreece for Abelcet (amphotericin B lipid complex injection) as afirst-line treatment for cryptococcal meningitis, a relatively commoninfection in AIDS patients. The drug also was approved for severefungal infections in refractory patients.

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