A 63-year-old man involved in a Phase II clinical trial of theexperimental hepatitis B drug fialuridine (FIAU) received aliver transplant on Monday. His post-operative condition wasreported as critical.

Meanwhile, a 37-year-old woman who received a livertransplant on July 9 was upgraded from critical to seriouscondition.

So far, three people have died from a syndrome thatinvestigators believe is linked to mitochondrial dysfunctioncaused by FIAU. Of the remaining five patients who took thedrug for more than 67 days, one is at a transplant-equippedhospital and four remain at the NIH Clinical Center.

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