* Arqule Inc., of Medford, Mass., entered an agreement with ICAgenInc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., for development of compoundsto modulate ion channels for treatment of cardiovascular, centralnervous system and immune system disorders. Financial terms werenot disclosed. ICAgen will provide ion channel screening andanalysis systems for Arqule to use in assessing compounds generatedby its combinatorial chemistry.

* Berlex Laboratories, of Richmond, Calif., a subsidiary of ScheringAG, of Berlin, entered an agreement with Bioject Inc., of Portland,Ore., for the manufacture of a needle-free drug delivery system forBerlex's Betaseron, interferon beta-1b, for multiple sclerosis. Thedevice, which Berlex said will be available in 1997, is designed toenable patients to self-administer Betaseron. Financial terms were notdisclosed.

* MedImmune Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., filed a new drugsubmission in Canada for approval of RespiGam, a polyclonalantibody, to treat respiratory syncytial virus in children. The drug isapproved in the U.S. MedImmune has marketing alliances withAmerican Home Products Corp., of Madison, N.J., for the U.S. andwith Baxter Healthcare Corp., of Deerfield, Ill., for the rest of theworld.

* OncorPharm Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., a subsidiary of Oncor Inc.,also of Gaithersburg, received an option to develop drugs based ondithymidine, which is a nucleoside compound skin cells use to guardagainst damage from ultraviolet light. The compound was discoveredat the Boston University School of Medicine. Financial terms werenot disclosed.

* Phytera Inc., of Worcester, Mass., entered a three-year researchagreement with Tsumura & Co., of Tokyo, for discovery of small-molecule compounds to treat rheumatoid arthritis and allergies. In thecollaboration, Tsumura will gain access to Phytera's library of plantcell culture extracts for use in identifying drug candidates. Phyterawill receive research funding and milestone payments and will retainNorth American rights to the products. Tsumura will have exclusiverights elsewhere.

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