Synsorb Biotech Inc., of Calgary, Alberta, said it initiated Phase IItrials using Synsorb PK for the treatment of bacterial-related intestinaldisorders. The double-blind study will include up to 500 children in 12sites in Canada.

Ophidian Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Madison, Wis., was awarded twoPhase I Small Business Innovative Research contracts for the NIH toshow the feasibility of its antibody-based therapeutics for treatinggastrointestinal infections caused by the E. coli bacteria and H. pylori.

Bio-technology General Corp., of Iselin, N.J., signed an agreementwith Elvetium S.A., of Buenos Aires, Argentina, to market Bio-Tropin,a recombinant human growth hormone. The product will be marketedin Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Bio-Tropin is used to treatgrowth hormone-deficient children and girls with Turner syndrome.

The neurological business of Medtronic Inc., of Minneapolis, andSynergen Inc., of Boulder, Colo., announced a collaborative studyagreement to develop technology to deliver a neurotrophic factor to thebrain for potential treatment of Parkinson's disease. Synergen willdevelop and formulate the glial-derived neurotrophic factor to bedirectly delivered to the brain by the Medtronic SynchroMedimplantable drug infusion system. Terms were not disclosed.

La Jolla Pharmaceuticals, of San Diego, announced that 390,000 unitscovered by an overallotment option in the company's initial publicoffering were exercised by underwriter D. Blech & Co. Inc., bringingthe total to 2.99 million units in the offering at $5 per unit. Each unitconsists of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchaseone-half share of stock at $3. The offering's gross was $14.95 million.

Stratagene Cloning Systems Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., and LaytonBioScience Inc., of Atherton, Calif., signed an exclusive marketingagreement for the sale and distribution of Layton's hNT humanneuronal cells. Stratagene will have the right to market the cells forresearch use in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., Lynbrook, N.Y., entered into a 12-year license agreement with Italian pharmaceutical company IstoriaFarmaceutici, to sell Collagenase ointment in Italy. The license fee is$200,000.

Collaborative Research Inc., Waltham, Mass., which is changing itsname to Genome Therapeutics, has begun an initiative to sequence theentire genome of the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori.

Bio-Intermediair said it is expanding its facility in the Netherlands byadding a new processing line for the production of microbially derivedtherapeutic grade pharmaceuticals, such as vaccines and therapeuticproteins.

Synsorb Biotech Inc., of Calgary, Alberta, said it initiated Phase IItrials using Synsorb PK for the treatment of bacterial-related intestinaldisorders. The double-blind study will include up to 500 children in 12sites in Canada.

Ophidian Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Madison, Wis., was awarded twoPhase I Small Business Innovative Research contracts for the NIH toshow the feasibility of its antibody-based therapeutics for treatinggastrointestinal infections caused by the E. coli bacteria and H. pylori.

Bio-technology General Corp., of Iselin, N.J., signed an agreementwith Elvetium S.A., of Buenos Aires, Argentina, to market Bio-Tropin,a recombinant human growth hormone. The product will be marketedin Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Bio-Tropin is used to treatgrowth hormone-deficient children and girls with Turner syndrome.

The neurological business of Medtronic Inc., of Minneapolis, andSynergen Inc., of Boulder, Colo., announced a collaborative studyagreement to develop technology to deliver a neurotrophic factor to thebrain for potential treatment of Parkinson's disease. Synergen willdevelop and formulate the glial-derived neurotrophic factor to bedirectly delivered to the brain by the Medtronic SynchroMedimplantable drug infusion system. Terms were not disclosed.

La Jolla Pharmaceuticals, of San Diego, announced that 390,000 unitscovered by an overallotment option in the company's initial publicoffering were exercised by underwriter D. Blech & Co. Inc., bringingthe total to 2.99 million units in the offering at $5 per unit. Each unitconsists of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchaseone-half share of stock at $3. The offering's gross was $14.95 million.

Stratagene Cloning Systems Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., and LaytonBioScience Inc., of Atherton, Calif., signed an exclusive marketingagreement for the sale and distribution of Layton's hNT humanneuronal cells. Stratagene will have the right to market the cells forresearch use in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., Lynbrook, N.Y., entered into a 12-year license agreement with Italian pharmaceutical company IstoriaFarmaceutici, to sell Collagenase ointment in Italy. The license fee is$200,000.

Collaborative Research Inc., Waltham, Mass., which is changing itsname to Genome Therapeutics, has begun an initiative to sequence theentire genome of the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori.

Bio-Intermediair said it is expanding its facility in the Netherlands byadding a new processing line for the production of microbially derivedtherapeutic grade pharmaceuticals, such as vaccines and therapeuticproteins.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.