* Paracelsian Inc., of Ithaca, N.Y., said preclinical studies of acompound, PN27,1, derived from the company's library of Chinesemedicinal herbs, showed "significant in vitro inhibition of plateletaggregation in both the arachidonic acid-induced pathway andplatelet activation factor pathway. The studies were conducted byPanlabs Inc., of Bothell, Wash., an independent contract testinglaboratory.

* Cortech Inc., of Denver, filed an investigational new drugapplication with the FDA to begin testing Sulfasim for prevention ofsulfamethoxazole (SMX) allergy in HIV-infected patients. Sulfasimis an antigen-specific immunomodulator. SMX is an ingredient in adrug used to treat pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, one of the mostfrequent infections in AIDS patients.

* BioSepra Inc., of Marlborough, Mass., will receive up to $5 millionfrom Beckman Instruments Inc., of Fullerton, Calif., for rights tomarket BioSepra's HyperDiffusion chromatography media. Beckmanalso will collaborate with BioSepra in worldwide sales and servicefor its ProSys Workstation.

* Cytogen Corp., of Princeton, N.J., said its product licenseapplication and an establishment license application for marketingapproval of ProstaScint have been filed with the FDA and are underreview. ProstaScint is a monoclonal antibody imaging agent used todetect prostate cancer.

* Techniclone International Corp., of Tustin, Calif., said the U.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) granted approval for MillsBiopharmaceuticals Inc., of Oklahoma City, to radiolabelTechniclone's lead product, Oncolym. The FDA last Octoberapproved Phase II/III trials of Oncolym, a radioactive monoclonalantibody, to treat B cell lymphoma in patients who have notresponded to chemotherapy. With the NRC approval, Techniclonesaid the multi-center studies could begin in a few weeks and shouldbe complete in eight to 14 months. Alpha Therapeutic Corp., of LosAngeles, is conducting the trials.

* Dura Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, acquired Health Scriptand its affiliates in Denver for cash and warrants. Health Script, acontract mail service pharmacy, generated revenues in 1994 of about$8 million.

* Inhale Therapeutic Systems, of Palo Alto, Calif., raised $8 millionthrough a public offering of 1 million shares of common stock. Thecompany said the funds will be used to support development of itspulmonary drug delivery system.

* CellPro Inc., of Seattle, began a Phase II clinical trial of its CeprateSC stem cell concentration system in peripheral blood stem cell(PBSC) transplants for small cell lung cancer patients following highdose chemotherapy. The system is designed to purify stem cells anddeplete tumor cells prior to PBSC transplants.

* HemaSure Inc., of Marlborough, Mass., was awarded a $723,000Phase II Small Business Innovations Research grant from the U.S.Department of Defense. The money will be used to develop a methodof extending storage time from 24 hours to more than a week forfrozen red blood cells after they have been thawed.

* Diatech Inc., of Londonderry, N.H., started Phase III trials oftechnetium Tc-99m P280, a radiopharmaceutical imaging agent, fordetection of deep vein thrombosis, which causes pulmonaryembolisms and chronic venous insufficiencies.

* ESCAgenetics Corp., of San Carlos, Calif., has been deleted fromthe American Stock Exchange for failure to meet financial andoperational guidelines. ESCAgenetics now is being traded on theElectronic Bulletin Board under the symbol, ESNG.

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