Cell Genesys Inc. of Foster City, Calif., and Bio-TechnologyGeneral Corp. of New York have agreed to collaborate on thedevelopment of T cell transplant products for the treatment ofcytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, Cell Genesys announcedMonday.

The agreement grants Cell Genesys an exclusive worldwidelicense to Bio-Technology General's anti-CMV antibodies. Bio-Technology will receive licensing fees and royalty payments.

Cell Genesys will use components of human monoclonalantibodies developed by Bio-Technology General to createproducts with a high degree of specificity for CMV-infectedcells.

The therapeutic benefit of an anti-CMV T cell transplantproduct has not yet been demonstrated in human clinicaltesting, and Cell Genesys does not expect to begin such trialsbefore 1994.

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