Boron Biologicals Inc. (BBI) has been awarded a $75,000 grant fromthe National Institutes of Health to study the toxicology of boronatedbiomolecules. The grant is funded by the federal government's SmallBusiness Innovation Research (SBIR) program.In the past five years, BBI has received about $3.6 million through thisprogram. The Raleigh, N.C., company will work with the ResearchTriangle Institute of Research Triangle Park, N.C., on the study.Boron biomolecules have shown promise as treatments for cancer,osteoporosis, high cholesterol and inflammation. The "organic" boronmolecules developed by BBI are very similar to carbon biomolecules.Studies in rodents and in vitro at low doses by BBI have shown thecompany's biomolecules to be effective therapeutic agents, with noobservable toxicity, according to Anup Sood, BBI's director ofresearch.The present study, Sood said, will enable researchers to test themargins of safety for the potential clinical use of boron biomolecules inhigher doses. _ Philippa Maister

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