American Biogenetic Sciences Inc. said Tuesday that it has received apatent for its Hepatitis A vaccine.

The patent, No. 5,294,548, covers a recombinant vaccine that is inpreclinical trials with chimpanzees.

The vaccine consists of the viral protein coat, without the hepatitisgenetic materials, said Paul Gargan, president of the Notre Dame, Ind.(NASDAQ:MABXA) company. This allows stimulation of a protective immuneresponse without exposure to a potentially infectious virus, as can occurwith the conventional killed virus vaccine approach.

Gargan said Medeva Plc was given a two-year option to acquire a licensefor the worldwide rights to the vaccine. The option is good until Jan. 6,1995, for $2.5 million. Medeva, a London-based pharmaceutical company,is waiting to see study results before deciding whether to exercise theoption, he said.031694ABS Patent

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