Genelabs Technologies Inc. on Tuesday said it has begunenrolling patients in Phase II clinical trials of its anti-AIDSdrug, GLQ223. The one-year trials are intended to establishefficacy of the drug in HIV-infected patients with CD4 T cellcounts between 200 and 500 per cubic millimeter.

GLQ223 is a protein-based drug derived from the tuber of theTrichosanthes kirilowii plant. In preclinical studies, GLQ223blocked HIV expression in acutely infected T cells andchronically infected macrophage cells, which may act as areservoir for HIV, the company said.

Sandoz Pharmaceuticals has an ongoing Phase I trial usingGLQ223 supplied by Genelabs.

Stock of Redwood City, Calif.-based Genelabs (NASDAQ:GNLB)closed Tuesday at $9.75, up 50 cents.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.