Canguard Health Technologies of Vancouver, British Columbia,and Pharmascience Inc. of Montreal have agreed to collaboratein a worldwide licensing agreement for an anti-epileptic drugdeveloped by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Canguardsaid Friday.

The new product, to be called Nuroval SR, has been issued apatent in the United States, and filings for patents are pendingin Israel, Canada and Europe.

Nuroval uses sodium valproate in sustained-release form inone daily oral administration. Currently, drugs must beadministered three or four times daily to achieve the 24-hourtherapeutic blood level the companies expect of Nuroval.

In addition, certain side effects may be encountered lessfrequently with Nuroval, since the drug appears to be absorbedmore smoothly into the bloodstream.

The annual world market for sodium valproate is estimated atU.S. $344 million, and is growing at about 15 percent a year.Development and registration of Neuroval are expected to becompleted within 24 months, and sales as an investigationaldrug are expected to begin in 1994.

Pharmascience will manufacture the product for world marketsand handle domestic marketing. Canguard will sub-license theproduct for markets outside Canada.

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