MedClone Inc. has received the nod from both U.S. and Swissregulatory authorities to initiate human clinical trials of itsidiotype vaccine for treating systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).

The Los Angeles company on Thursday received a letter fromFDA approving its investigative new drug application (IND) forPhase I trials on the monoclonal antibody-based vaccine,MAb3E10. Trials in Switzerland were approved at the end ofMay, said Peter Ulrich, MedClone's president and chiefexecutive officer.

Patient enrollment is already complete in Switzerland and twoof 12 patients have been entered in the U.S. trials, Ulrich said.

CORRECTIONSPharmos Corp. was mistakenly referred to as Pharmatec inThursday's quarterly stock report. Pharmos (NASDAQ:PARS)merged with Pharmatec last year.

The drug Actinex mentioned in Wednesday's BioWorld isowned by Block Drug Co., not by Chemex Pharmaceuticals Inc.Chemex sold its 10 percent Masoprocol cream for treatingpremalignant skin lesions to Block in 1990. Block's Reed &Carnick Division now markets that compound as Actinex.

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