Univax Biologics Inc. intends to have pilot plants ready in 1996despite a financing arrangement with The BioPlex Group Inc. thatfell through, a company official said Wednesday.Litigation involving various companies of BioPlex resulted in itnotifying Univax that it would no longer be financingbiotechnology-related construction, Cabot Caskie, Univax's vicepresident and chief financial officer, told BioWorld. Univax, ofRockville, Md., was to put $2 million toward the project, then makelease payments to BioPlex, which is based in Needham, Mass., andLa Jolla, Calif.The $45 million project was to include construction of facilitiescentered around pilot vaccine and polyclonal antibody productionplants, as well as laboratories, offices and warehouse operations."We're in detailed discussions with other sources of funds" as wellas state and local officials in Maryland regarding a facility, Caskiesaid. "There is zero impact. This does not effect WinRho or any ofour clinical plans." Caskie said $450,000 put into an escrowaccount for the project was returned.WinRho, the company's hyperimmune polycloncal antibody forvarious idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura indications, is underFDA review for marketing approval. It is manufactured by licensingpartner Rh Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Winnipeg, Manitoba. _ JimShrine

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