WASHINGTON _ FDA officials are movingdeliberately to ensure that the final vote by an advisorycommittee on Interneuron Pharmaceuticals Inc.'sapplication to market an anti-obesity drug is made legallyand will not be subject to challenge.

Interneuron, of Lexington, Mass., continues to play thewaiting game as the FDA sorts out exactly how toproceed to obtain the votes of three members of FDA'sEndocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs AdvisoryCommittee who left last Thursday's meeting prematurely,an agency spokeswoman said. (See BioWorld Today,Sept. 19, 1995, p. 1.)

The committee adjourned before it produced a finalrecommendation on whether Interneuron'sdexfenfluramine hydrochloride should be approved forthe treatment of obesity after serious questions wereraised about the drug's safety.

William Boni, Interneuron's director of corporatecommunications, said he does not expect a final votefrom the advisory committee for several days.

The company's stock (NASDAQ:IPIC) dipped about 12percent Friday on the news. On Monday, it closed up 88cents to $12.37 per share. _ Michele L. Robinson

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