DynaGen Inc. was to announce today that it exclusively licenseduse of a monoclonal antibody (MAb) to form the basis for aurine-based diagnostic for emphysema.

DynaGen (NASDAQ:DYGN) of Cambridge, Mass., said it signed anagreement with the Graduate Hospital of Philadelphia, which isaffiliated with the University of Pennsylvania School ofMedicine. The hospital has filed European and U.S. patentapplications covering the technology.

The diagnostic is intended to detect in urine the uniquemarkers that predict emplysematous changes in the lungs, thecompany said.. Specifically, the test is to measure the rate ofbreakdown of the protein elastin, which is a structuralcomponent of lungs. It should also allow physicians todistinguish in their diagnosis between emphysema and asthma,which have similar symptoms yet require different treatments.

DynaGen said it aims to file an application for marketingapproval of the EmphyDyn diagnostic by mid-1993.

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