BALTIMORE -- More than 1,000 people are expected to attendthree days of presentations by 110 companies, 32 of themprivately held, at the 16th annual Alex. Brown & Sons HealthCare Seminar here. Following are highlights of presentations byprivately held companies on Tuesday.

Transkaryotic Therapies Inc.

The Cambridge, Mass., company is developing somatic cell genetherapies. K. Michael Forrest, president and chief executiveofficer, said the company has achieved "the first example ofstable expression of gene therapy in any animal model." Unlikeother systems, in which the level of expression drops overtime, he said, "day 365 expression is the same as day one"using Transkaryotic's technology.

TKT's technique involves introducing a gene into a patient's cellculture. The cells are characterized and then implanted in thepatient.

The company plans to develop proprietary gene therapyproducts for common diseases and to license its technique as adelivery method for approved proteins.

British Bio-Technology Group plc

The Oxford, England, company announced that its BB94, amatrix metalloproteinase inhibitor that has prospects in lung,prostrate and other cancers, will enter clinical trials this year.The company hopes to enter Phase II clinicals in both theUnited States and United Kingdom with a post-infection vaccinefor AIDS based on its VLP virology technology.

Cellcor Therapies Inc.

The Newton, Mass., company announced a $12 million privateplacement through Alex. Brown. Cellcor is developingautolymphocyte therapy in which a portion of a patient'slymphocytes are removed, activated and reinfused.

Genta Inc.

The San Diego company said it expects to file an investigationalnew drug application for clinical trials of an antisense productthis year. -- Steve Usdin

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