Oncologix Inc. and Creative BioMolecules Inc. have signed anagreement to develop new monoclonal antibody (MAb)-basedcancer treatments.

The pact concerns erbB-2, a MAb developed by Oncologix ofGaithersburg, Md., and the biosynthetic antibody bindingmolecules, or "BABS," of Creative BioMolecules (NASDAQ:CBMI)of Hopkinton, Mass.

Oncologix received worldwide exclusive rights to apply CreativeBioMolecules' BABS technology to OLX-209, a geneticallyengineered anti-tumor immunotoxin designed to target anddestroy cancer cells that overexpress the erB-2 oncogene.

Animal studies have shown that BABS proteins are specific andhave the affinity of MAbs, but are smaller and clear the serumsooner, which may allow them to overcome problemsassociated with therapeutic use of MAbs.

Creative BioMolecules will receive a "modest" initial payment,milestone payments and royalties on Oncologix's product sales,said Wayne Mayhew III, vice president and chief financialofficer of Creative BioMolecules.

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