A University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) anesthesiologyprofessor, who is also lead investigator for Gensia Inc.'s Phase IIItrials of Protara for myocardial infarction during heart surgery, isthe focus of an internal UCSF investigation.University officials confirmed that Dennis Mangano, who also runsthe private, non-profit Ischemia Research and EducationFoundation, is the subject of a confidential faculty review. But theofficials said they could not comment further. The preliminaryinvestigation apparently was triggered by a whistle-blowercomplaint.Mangano could not be reached by BioWorld Today, nor could aspokesman for the foundation. A spokeswoman for San Diego-based Gensia said the company had no comment on the UCSFreview of Mangano.Gensia is expected this month to release results of its third Phase IIItrial of Protara, the company's lead drug, for prevention of heartattacks during bypass surgery. The trials were stopped in August onthe recommendation of an independent safety and data monitoringpanel after 2,700 patients of a possible 4,500 patients were enrolled.The panel said safety was not a factor, but no other information wasreleased. Uncertainty about the Phase III findings has causedGensia's stock (NASDAQ:GNSA) to fluctuate. The stock Mondayclosed at $8.87, up 37 cents.When the studies were halted Aug. 12, Gensia said its investigators,who were blinded to the data, would analyze the findings andrelease results in approximately 10 weeks. _ Charles Craig

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