PRP Inc., of Watertown, Mass., has raised $2 million from a privateplacement to help fund clinical development of the company's leadproduct, IPM, an infusible platelet membrane that serves as asubstitute for fresh human platelets. Tullis-Dickerson Capital FocusL.P., of Greenwich, Conn., was the lead investor.Biometric Research Institute Inc. (BRI) , of Washington, hasmerged its European operating group, BRI International Ltd., withHealth Care Research n.v., of Mechelen, Belgium. The merger, tobe completed by Oct. 31, involved an exchange of stock and cash.SangStat Medical Corp., of Menlo Park, Calif., has received FDAapproval for its pretransplant monitoring product, Pra-Stat, whichanalyzes the presence of anti-HLA antibodies in transplantcandidates. Baxter Healthcare Corp., of Deerfield, Ill., has co-developed the assay and has exclusive rights to market it. Theapproval triggered $1.25 million in milestone payments to SangStatfrom Baxter.OncorMed Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., has raised about $6.5 millionin net proceeds from its initial public offering of 1,335,000 shares at$6 per share. Gaines, Berland Inc., the underwriter, received anoption to purchase up to 200,250 shares to cover over-allotmentsand warrants for another 133,500 shares.Neurogen Corp., of Branford, Conn., has filed an investigationalnew drug application to begin clinical trials of NGD 94-1 fortreatment of schizophrenia. NGD 94-1 is designed to block thedopamine D4 receptor based on research revealing elevated levelsof dopamine D4 in autopsied schizophrenia patients.Arris Pharmaceutical Corp., South San Francisco, has releasedpreclinical test results identifying tryptase as a potential target fordrugs aimed at treating asthma and other inflammatory diseases.The data were announced at the 20th Symposium of the CollegiumInternationale Allergologicum in Nantucket, Mass.Matritech Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., has received a $1 millionmilestone payment from Germany-based Boehringer IngelheimInternational following receipt of data from clinical trials ofMatritech's bladder cancer diagnostic. Boehringer has semi-exclusive rights to distribute the diagnostic in Europe.Bio-Technology General Corp., of Iselin, N.J., said its humangrowth hormone was launched in the Netherlands by Europeanlicensee, the Ferring Group, under the name Zomacton. Also, thecompany said marketing approval was granted in Sweden, the 11thEuropean approval.Dura Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, filed a registrationstatement for a public offering of 2.5 million shares of commonstock, 2.25 million of which will be offered by the company.Neurocrine Biosciences Inc., of San Diego, was awarded threeSmall Business Innovation Research grants, each in excess of$75,000, related to its multiple sclerosis and corticotrophinreleasing factor research programs.Zonagen Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas, said oral phentolamine, ittreatment for male impotency, showed a 30 to 40 percent positiveresponse rate in an early stage trial of involving new cases oferectile dysfunction, compared to 15 to 20 percent for placebo.TheraTech Inc., of Salt Lake City, submitted a new drug applicationfor its testosterone transdermal patch, called Androderm, intendedfor the treatment of male hypogonadism.Oncor Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., submitted a premarket approvalapplication to the FDA for the in vitro diagnostic use of its ChronicMyelogenous Leukemia M bcr/abl Genetic Test System.Advanced Polymer Systems Inc., of Redwood City, Calif.,submitted a new drug application to the FDA seeking approval forProZone sunscreen, in which biosynthetic melanin is entrappedwithin microscopic polymer spheres to absorb ultraviolet light andprotect skin from UVB and UVA rays.LifeCell Corp., of The Woodlands, Texas, formed a collaborativeagreement with Robin Dover, at the Imperial Cancer Research Fundin London, focused on developing systems for co-culturingkeratinocyte stem cells on AlloDerm, the company's universaldermal tissue graft.Celltech Group plc, of London, has signed an agreement withMerck & Co., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., worth 31.5 million($48.8 million) over the next five years for development of drugsfor asthma. The collaboration was announced in July. (SeeBioWorld Today, July 22, 1994, p. 1.) Celltech already has receivedan initial 3 million ($4.7 million) from Merck.Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., has received a$1.58 million manufacturing payment from Japan-based SumitomoPharmaceuticals Inc. as part of a potential $40 million collaborationthe companies initiated in June to develop brain-derivedneurotrophic factor in Japan. (See BioWorld Today, June 9, 1994,p. 1.)Hybridon Inc., of Worcester, Mass., has begun its Phase IB/II trialsof GEM 91 for treatment of HIV-1 and AIDS in the U.S. andFrance. GEM 91 is an antisense compound, which in Phase IA trialsrevealed no clinically significant side effects. (SeeBioWorld Today,Aug. 17, 1994, p. 1.)Metasyn Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., has received two Phase I SmallBusiness Innovation Research grants from the National Institutes ofHealth for development of magnetic resonance imaging agents.ICOS Corp., of Seattle, has begun a Phase I trial of its monoclonalantibody, Hu23F2G, for treatment of multiple sclerosis. Thecompany said preclinal studies of the drug showed efficacy inanimal models.

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