Oncogene Science Inc. (OSI) announced that it has obtained aU.S. patent, No. 5,262,319, for a method of obtaining bonemarrow free of tumor cells using transforming growth factor(TGF) beta-3.

The claimed method "is useful in ex vivo treatment of bonemarrow cells to purge the cell population of actively dividingtumor cells," OSI said. "These purged bone marrow cells canthen be reintroduced into the patient to reform thehematopoietic stem-cell population."

This is the first U.S. patent relating to the compound. Earlierthis year, OSI (NASDAQ:ONCS) of Uniondale, N.Y., received aEuropean patent claiming composition of matter of TGF beta-3.

OSI is developing the compound with partners Ciba-Geigy Ltd.and Pfizer Inc. for use in the treatment of toxic side effects ofcancer chemotherapy and as a wound-healing agent (seeBioWorld, Aug. 13).

OSI also announced that it has received a U.S. patent, No.5,262,523, for claims to antibodies specific for mutants of theras p21 oncogene. OSI is developing a diagnostic product forlung, colon and pancreatic cancer based on ras oncogeneimmunoassays. Mutations of the ras oncogene have been shownto be early events in the development of colon, lung andpancreatic cancer. -- Brenda Sandburg

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