Researchers from Cytogen Corp. will receive a Thomas AlvaEdison Patent Award from the Research and DevelopmentCouncil of New Jersey for their discovery of a "breakthroughchemistry leading to the first monoclonal antibody-basedcancer imaging agent approved in the U.S.," the councilannounced Wednesday.

The council, which is based in Morris Plains, N.J., will alsopresent awards at a ceremony June 3 to Union Camp (for thefirst commercially successful application of ozone as areplacement for elemental chlorine in the pulp manufacturingprocess) and to Exxon (for a chemical additive that removesharmful deposits from auto fuel injectors).

Cytogen principals Thomas McKearn, currently companypresident, and John Rodwell, vice president of research anddevelopment, are inventors on U.S. Patent No. 4,671,958, whichclaims methods for site-specific attachment of drugs or isotopesto antibody molecules that don't interfere with the antibody'sability to target and bind antigens.

The patent, which issued to Cytogen (NASDAQ:CYTO) ofPrinceton, N.J., in June 1987, protects the basic technology thecompany used in OncoScint CR/OV, its FDA-approved diagnosticagent for colorectal and ovarian adenocarcinoma.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.