* Andrulis Pharmaceuticals Corp., of Beltsville, Md.,started a Phase I/II trial of thalidomide for multiplesclerosis.

* Avid Therapeutics Inc., of Philadelphia, exercised itsoption to license a class of antiviral compounds, knownas polyoxometalates, from researchers at Atlanta-basedEmory University.

* Biomatrix Inc., of Ridgefield, N.J., received notificationthat its premarket approval application for Hylaform _ ahylan polymer for correction of facial wrinkles anddepressed scars _ was accepted for filing by the FDA.

* Cell Genesys Inc., of Foster City, Calif., entered into anagreement with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Researchand the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, ofNew York, which is providing antibody reagents for thecompany's cancer T cell gene therapy program.

* Jenner Technologies, of Danville, Calif., started a PhaseI/II trial of a vaccine for prostate cancer. The vaccineconsists of recombinant prostate specific antigendelivered via liposomes.

* LifeCell Corp., of The Woodlands, Texas, said itinitiated sales of AlloDerm universal tissue graft for usein periodontal indications.

* Matritech Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., was awarded a$93,000 small business innovation research grant todevelop assays that screen for compounds to stop thegrowth of cancer cells. The nuclear matrix target that willbe used in screening is called nuclear mitotic apparatusprotein.

* NeXstar Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Boulder, Colo., said itfiled regulatory dossiers in 11 European countries seekingapproval of DaunoXome as a primary treatment foradvanced HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma.

* Texas Biotechnology Corp., of Houston, is extendingits agreement with South San Francisco-based GenentechInc. to June 1997. The extension relates to developmentof the Texas company's Novastan to treat heparin-induced thrombocytopenia conditions.

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