* Chiron Corp., of Emeryville, Calif., and DowElanco, ofIndianapolis, have a deal to use Chiron's combinatorial chemistrylibraries in screens to identify compounds for agriculturalapplications. It is Chiron's first major collaboration in which it isapplying its libraries outside the pharmaceutical area.

* Genelabs Technologies Inc., of Redwood City, Calif., saidpublished results of a study of DHEA for systemic lupuserythematosus showed the drug fared better than placebo for the 28women in the study with mild to moderate lupus.

* ImClone Systems Inc., of New York, initiated a Phase Ib/IIa trial ofthe cancer therapeutic, C225, an epidermal growth factor receptorantagonist. The dose-escalation study will evaluate the drug incombination with adriamycin in patients with advanced prostatecancer.

* Incyte Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., said its stock willbegin trading on NASDAQ on Jan. 16, 1996, under the symbolINCY. The stock now trades on the American Stock Exchange (IPI).The company develops and markets genomic data base products andservices.

* Magainin Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., namedRoy Levitt, a former professor at Johns Hopkins University, to theposition of executive vice president and director of its Institute ofMolecular Medicine. Levitt developed technology to identify genesresponsible for controlling bronchial hyperresponsiveness associatedwith asthma, and at Magainin he will create an asthma researchprogram.

* Paracelsian Inc., of Ithaca, N.Y., and the National Cancer Instituteentered into a letter of intent to collaborate on Phase I and II studiesof Paracelsian's PN355 and related compounds for cancer and HIV.The compounds will be identified through screening of traditionalChinese medicine extracts. The agreement also provides Paracelsianexclusive rights to a unique cell line that facilitates screening of HIVcandidates.

* Procept Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it received approval to starta Phase II trial of PRO 2000 for HIV. The study in Brussels,Belgium, will involve 16 patients who will receive a daily bolusinjection in a dose-escalating study. The drugs is designed to blockthe binding of gp120 to the CD4 protein.

* QLT PhotoTherapeutics Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, andSanofi Winthrop Inc., of New York, agreed to a deal in which Sanofiwill market QLT's light-activated drug, Photofrin, in the U.S. and theCaribbean. The agreement includes a $10 million access feecomprised of a preferred stock purchase by Sanofi and a cashpayment.

* Ribi ImmunoChem Research Inc., of Hamilton, Mont., completed alicense and supply agreement with London-based SmithKlineBeecham's vaccine group. The agreement covers the use of Ribiadjuvants in cancer vaccines.

* Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., of Collegeville, Pa., said Rilutek is nowavailable by prescription. It is the first drug to show extendedsurvival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

* Scios Nova Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., started a double-blind,placebo-controlled Phase I/II trial of Fiblast trofermin to treat stroke.The study, using different doses of intravenously delivered drug, willinvolve about 30 patients and several U.S. centers.

* Theratechnologies, of Montreal, received $350,000 from theNational Council of Canada for its research into photodynamictreatment of leukemia. The money will enable the company toadvance the program to Phase I trials.

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