Genetic Therapy Inc. (GTI) and PharmaGenics Inc. announcedTuesday that they had signed a license agreement to developanti-cancer therapies based on tumor-suppresser genes.

The tumor suppresser gene DCC (for "deleted in colon cancer")was discovered by Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins University,who also identified the function of gene p53 as a tumorsuppresser. Recent studies suggest that the p53 gene is alteredor deleted in a large proportion of solid tumors.

Both DCC and p53 are licensed to PharmaGenics of Allendale,N.J., which in turn licensed the rights to develop gene therapytechnologies based on these genes to GTI (NASDAQ:GTII) ofGaithersburg, Md., explained Rachel Rivest, PharmaGenics'director of corporate and regulatory affairs.

The two companies will collaborate on certain aspects ofproduct development, but did not disclose terms of theagreement.

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