Cytogen Corp. and Cytorad Inc. said Wednesday that they havebegun Phase III trials on OncoScint prostate diagnostic toevaluate pre-surgical patients.

The study will take place at approximately 20 U.S. institutions,including leading comprehensive cancer centers. OncoScintprostate diagnostic is a monoclonal antibody-based imagingagent that is expected to be useful in determining the extentand location of prostate cancer.

Positive findings from Phase II studies included the detectionof pelvic lymph node metastases and the detection of occultdisease, the companies said. The product correctly confirmedthe absence of prostate cancer. No patients experienced seriousside effects, and only one patient developed a detectable levelof human anti-mouse antibody, they said.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately oneof every 11 men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.This year an estimated 132,000 new cases of prostate cancerwill occur in the United States, and nearly 34,000 people willdie from the disease.

Cytogen (NASDAQ: CYTO) of Princeton, N.J., is developingproprietary systems utilizing monoclonal antibodies for thetargeted delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic substances inhuman health care applications. Cytogen uses its patented andproprietary antibody "linker" technology to develop specificcancer diagnostic imaging and cancer therapeutic products, aswell as certain other products.

Cytorad (NASDAQ:CYTDZ) is a newly formed company which,through Cytogen, will engage in the research and developmentof proprietary antibody-based delivery systems for diagnosisand treatment of prostate and bladder cancers.

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