U.S. Bioscience said Tuesday it was granted marketing approval forEthyol in three more European countries, and received approval tomarket NeuTrexin in four countries in Europe.

Ethyol (amifostine), already approved in the U.K., can now be soldin Germany, Spain and Luxembourg for reduction of neutropenia-related infection resulting from a two-drug chemotherapy regimen.Schering-Plough Corp., which has marketing rights in most ofEurope, plans to launch Ethyol in the U.K. and Germany during thefirst quarter, U.S. Bioscience said.

Robert Kriebel, senior vice president, finance and administration forU.S. Bioscience, told BioWorld that the approvals were particularlyimportant in light of an FDA advisory committee decision inDecember not to recommend Ethyol for approval. "There may havebeen questions about the European submission being influenced bythe FDA's decision, and these respond to that question," he said.

The West Conshohocken, Pa., company is amending its new drugapplication for Ethyol, based on existing clinical data, and expects itwill get a chance mid-year to meet with the FDA advisorycommittee, Kriebel said.

NeuTrexin, indicated for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, wasapproved in the U.K., Spain, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. U.S.Bioscience already is marketing the product in the U.S. and Canada.

Kriebel said the company is in discussions with potential partners forthe European marketing of NeuTrexin. He said the product won't belaunched until a partner is found.

U.S. Bioscience stock (AMEX:UBS) was up 31 cents Tuesday,closing at $2.81. _ Jim Shrine

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