Athena Neurosciences Inc. announced that it has terminatedthe research phase of its research and development agreementwith NeuroSearch A/S.

Athena of South San Francisco, Calif., entered an agreementwith the Copenhagen, Denmark, company in October 1992 tostudy neuron-specific calcium channel blockers. Athena willnow concentrate on evaluating a potential developmentcompound derived from the collaboration.

Athena representative Paulette Setler said that the companieshave spent the duration of their collaboration examining a poolof drug candidates, and have now identified a small number oflead compounds. Over the next several months, she said, thetwo companies will examine the formulations,pharmacokinetics, therapeutic indices and in vitro efficacy ofthese leads before making a decision on whether to proceed todevelopment.

If the companies decide to pursue marketing approval for oneof the compounds, Athena (NASDAQ:ATHN) will begin animaltoxicology studies and will take on all further developmentresponsibility. Athena will have exclusive North Americanmarketing rights to any product from the collaboration that itbrings to commercialization; NeuroSearch maintains exclusiveScandinavian rights. The companies will share rights elsewherein the world.

Initial therapeutic targets of the candidates identified throughthe collaboration, Setler said, will be ischemic stroke and headtrauma. -- Karl Thiel

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