Human Genome Sciences Inc. has received $16 million fromSmithKline Beecham for exclusive rights to develop and market drugsand diagnostics in Japan and other Asian countries based on HumanGenome's gene discovery program.The payment by SmithKline, of Philadelphia, represents the company'sdecision to exercise an option that was part of a 1993, $125 milliondeal giving it first rights to develop a broad variety of drugs anddiagnostics from gene research conducted by Human GenomeSciences, of Rockville, Md. (For more on that initial deal, seeBioWorld Today, May 21, 1993, p. 1.)SmithKline already had paid $9 million toward the option. It now hasworldwide rights to develop drugs from Human Genome's library ofgenes."The basic collaboration," said Lewis Shuster, executive vice presidentof Human Genome, "gives SmithKline first rights in a series oftherapeutic and diagnostic areas. SmithKline's rights don't includegene therapy, but they do include gene therapy vaccines. And theydon't include rights to antisense products or products that result fromgenes other than human genes." _ Charles Craig

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