NeoRx Corp. said Monday it is expanding its Phase I clinicaltrial for treatment of ovarian cancer after a single dose of itsdrug triggered a positive response in patients who failedconventional therapy.

The Seattle-based company is using a radioisotope, rhenium-186, attached to an anti-carcinoma monoclonal antibody, NR-LU-10, which is injected into the abdomen of ovarian cancerpatients.

Four of seven patients with small tumors experienced partialresponses in the original single-dose study after having hadconventional treatment. Eleven other patients who had largerresidual tumors showed less response.

The new Phase I study will test the toxicity of a second dosegiven within a one-week period. Each group of patients willreceive a different dosage until researchers see unacceptabletoxicity, said Robert Littauer, NeoRx's chief financial officer.

There are 20,000 new cases of ovarian cancer in the UnitedStates each year. Advanced-stage patients, such as those inNeoRx's trial, have a 20-month median survival period. Early-stage patients have a 60 percent to 70 percent five-yearsurvival rate.

Cytogen Corp. of Princeton, N.J., is conducting Phase II trialsfor ovarian cancer of its OncoRad yttrium-90 radioisotopelinked to a MAb.

NeoRx stock (NASDAQ:NERX) was unchanged Monday at $1.38 ashare. -- KB

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