Immunex Corp. (NASDAQ:IMNX) said Wednesday that its GM-CSF permitted unusually intensive and repeated doses ofchemotherapy to cancer patients in a Phase I/II trial at theUniversity of New Mexico (UNM).

Immunex stock rose $1.75 a share on volume of 775,000shares to close at $39.62 on Wednesday.

The trial backs up data from a similar study at the Universityof Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, reported in the Augustissue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. That study also foundthat granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) reduced the ravages of anti-cancer chemicals on bonemarrow.

"Improved chemotherapy supplemented by GM-CSF achievedimproved tumor response in many patients. We can now givehigher doses and repeat the treatment regimen in patients whootherwise could not tolerate such aggressive treatments," saidJames A Neidhart, director of the UNM Cancer Center andauthor of the trial. Results of the UNM study were reported inthe September issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Phase III trials for GM-CSF have commenced at UNM, Seattle-based Immunex said.

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