Epigen Inc. announced that its founding scientist, John Codington of Boston BiomedicalResearch Institute and the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacologyat Harvard Medical School, presented data on the company's cancer market and COD test atthe XII International Symposium on Glycoconjugates in Krakow, Poland.

Epigen's proprietary COD test is an immunoassay for determining the concentration ofhuman carcinoma antigen (HCA) in the blood of cancer patients. Epigen said its researchhas shown a correlation between the amount of HCA shed into the bloodstream and cancerburden. The product is currently in preclinical testing.

The assays utilized monoclonal antibodies prepared from the B cells of immunized mice,as well as polyclonal antibodies prepared in rabbits.

Epigen (ASE:ECM) of Wellesley, Mass., is developing the COD test to be used to monitorcancer patients. A correlation was shown between tumor burden and the concentration of HCAin the blood in a double-blind study using a polyclonal antibody radioactive immunoassayof the plasma of 87 women with breast disease.