InflaZyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has signed an agreement withBioChem ImmunoSystems Inc. for joint development ofInflaZyme's tuberculosis diagnostic. InflaZyme of Vancouver,British Columbia, has been working on the TB test for morethan a year and has patent applications pending in Canada andthe U.S.

The two companies announced today that they will shareequally in the costs of product development and regulatoryfilings in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere. BioChem of Montrealwill have worldwide exclusive marketing rights and InflaZymewill receive cash, milestone payments and royalties on futuresales. InflaZyme has conducted preliminary tests of the TBdiagnostic in Vancouver, Mexico City and Boston (see BioWorld,Jan. 6).

InflaZyme said its ELISA-based TB test uses an antigen thatreacts with a blood sample to indicate whether TB bacteria ispresent. The company said the test has advantages over otherTB diagnostics in terms of time, cost and reliability.

InflaZyme (VSE:IZP) also announced that it has signed acollaborative research agreement with the University of BritishColumbia (UBC) and the Canadian Bacterial Disease Network(CBDN), which is based at the university, to develop plant-derived therapeutics. CBDN researcher Neil Towers hasidentified several species of plants from Northern BritishColumbia that demonstrate anti-microbial activity. InflaZymesaid it will provide financial support for the isolation anddevelopment of therapeutics and will have first rights ofrefusal to any products.

InflaZyme, founded with technology licensed from UBC, isdeveloping therapeutic agents from natural sources. Thecompany is seeking partners for development of three drugs inpreclinical development, the anti-inflammatory Robinosole, theanti-asthmatic drug Pneumocort and an antibiotic.

InflaZyme also announced on Jan. 11 that it has signed anagreement with Yew Tree Pharmaceuticals (YTP), a Dutchcompany based in the United Kingdom, to supply YTP withPaclitaxel (taxol). YTP is jointly owned by two majorundisclosed European companies. InflaZyme said YTP plans tomarket its generic version of taxol, Paclitaxel, in late 1995.Bristol-Myers Squibb has exclusive U.S. marketing rights totaxol until 1996/1997. The drug is marketed in the U.S. fortreatment of ovarian cancer and in Canada for ovarian andbreast cancer.

-- Brenda Sandburg News Editor

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