Stock of The Liposome Co. Inc. jumped $2.38 on Thursday afterthe company said it had been granted a U.S. patent forimproved methods of encapsulating anti-cancer drugs inliposomes.

The patent, No. 5,077,056, also covers the liposome drugs madewith these methods.

The shares (NASDAQ:LIPO) closed at $16.50.

Liposome's TL CD-99, a liposomal doxorubicin anti-cancer drug,is covered by several of the claims. TLC D-99 is in Phase IItrials for treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Some cancer drugs, such as doxorubicin, have defied liposomaldelivery because they are soluble in both lipids and water. Thepatented technology averts leakage of the encapsulated drugby controlling the chemical or electrical charge across theliposome's membrane.

The technology developed by the Princeton, N.J., company andcollaborators at the University of British Columbia uses such"transmembrane potential" to either increase the amount of adrug entrapped in the liposome or reduce the rate at which it isreleased. -- Kris Herbst

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