Bio-Technology General Corp. said Friday that it has begunPhase I clinical trials of BioTropin recombinant human growthhormone in patients with HIV. The trials will examine thepotential of BioTropin to reverse or slow down wasting in HIV-infected and AIDS patients.

The New York company is also conducting two additional PhaseI trials of BioTropin to prevent wasting, one in cancer patientsand a second in elderly patients hospitalized with hip fractureand suffering from muscle atrophy.

In June, BTGC received European Community approval ofBioTropin for short stature indications. The drug has beenapproved for sale in the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg andSpain. SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, BTGC's licensee,will launch European sales under the brand name Eskatrope inearly 1992.

BTGC stock (NASDAQ:BTGC) closed down 6 cents at $8.13 onFriday.

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