* Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, Mass., promoted VickiSato to senior vice president, research and development; and hiredLynne Brum as director of corporate communications.* Hybritech Inc., San Diego, named G. Russell Bell as president andCEO. He was a senior vice president, and responsible for HybritechEurope S.A.* Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cambridge, Mass., appointed IainBuchanan to vice president of European operations and managingdirector of Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd.* CELx Corp., the diagnostic subsidiary of IMRE Corp., Seattle,named R. Michael Gendreau as senior vice president, research anddevelopment, and chief medical officer.* Neurobiological Technologies Inc., of Richmond, Calif., saidresults of a preliminary single-dose Phase I/II trial of its leadproduct, corticotropin-releasing factor, showed the drug, whencompared with placebo, reduced average post-surgical swelling inblepharoplasty patients when administered over three days. Thirtytwo patients undergoing removal of skin and fatty tissue from theeyelids participated in the safety and efficacy trial.* Paracelsian Inc., of Ithaca, N.Y., has purchased Pacific Liaisons, anIthaca-based company involved in acquiring Far East plant extractsfor cancer treatments, for more than 1 million shares of Paracelsianrestricted stock.* T Cell Sciences Inc., of Needham, Mass., and SmithKlineBeecham, of Philadelphia, amended their agreement for thedevelopment of soluble complement receptor one for adultrespiratory distress syndrome and other inflammatory diseases. TCell has regained clinical development and marketing rights in NorthAmerica and SmithKline has an option on those rights outside NorthAmerica.* Calgene Inc., of Davis, Calif., has begun the first planting of itsgenetically engineered canola plants in southern Georgia. Thecanolas, or rapeseeds, are modified with a thioesterase gene from aCalifornia Bay tree to produce laurate, a material used in makingpersonal care products, such as soap.* Transkaryotic Therapies Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., entered into aresearch collaboration with the University of Freiburg MedicalCenter in Germany to evaluate non-viral gene therapy treatments forcancer. Phase I clinical studies of gene therapy with interleukin 2 arebeing conducted for late-stage kidney cancer and malignantmelanoma.* BASF Bioresearch Corp., of Worcester, Mass., signed an agreementto produce Phase III clinical and commercial supplies of Neutralasefor Montreal-based IBEX Technologies Inc., which is developing thedrug for heparin neutralization following bypass surgery. IBEX saidit intends to file an investigational new drug application to beginclinical trials in 1995.

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