Oxigene Inc. signed agreements with investment banking institutions inEurope and Japan that will help the company identify potentialinvestors and corporate partners for its drug that's used as an adjunct toradiation therapy in treating squamous cell lung carcinoma.The drug, Sensamide, is the privately held New York company'sformulation of the synthetic chemical compound metoclopramide,which has been used for years as an anti-nauseant. Oxigene is using thedrug for its ability to interfere with DNA repair.The agreements were signed with Carnegie Fondkommission A.B., ofStockholm, Sweden, and Sumitomo Bank Ltd., of Osaka, Japan.Richard Brown, chairman of Oxigene, told BioWorld on Monday thattesting of Sensamide is far enough along that it's time to start lookingfor corporate partners. He said Oxigene also will be looking for apartner in North America to show its results to interested parties.The enrollment of 226 patients for a Phase II/III trial at the Universityof Lund, Sweden, should be completed next March, Brown said, andsome results available around the middle of next year. Endpoints willbe tumor size and survival.Brown said 24 patients in a Phase I trial of Sensamide plus radiationhad median survival of 17 months. The average survival in 1,300controls, based on the eight latest papers, was 8.6 months, he said.Brown said the company expects the Swedish results will beappropriate for submission in the U.S. Separate trials will have to beconducted in Japan. _ Jim Shrine

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