Agracetus Inc., a subsidiary of W.R. Grace & Co., said Tuesdaythat it has received a patent covering its technology used totransfer genes to treat human diseases such as AIDS, developtransgenic plants, and other specialized uses. U.S. Patent No.5,120,657 covers the Middleton, Wis., company's Accell geneinsertion instrument, used extensively by Agracetus, thecompany said. Current research into Accell gene therapy isfocused on such illnesses as AIDS, cancer, high cholesterol,Parkinson's disease and muscular dystrophy, the company said.

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