The Liposome Company Inc. of Princeton, N.J., said Tuesdaythat its Japanese partner, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. ofTokyo, started clinical trials of a jointly developed liposomalcardiovascular drug.

The trials were designed to test the efficacy of a liposomalpreparation of an unidentified drug that is marketed in Japan,said Anne Van Lent, Lipsome's senior vice president. The trialsat unnamed sites in Japan involve an unspecified number ofpatients with deep vein thrombosis.

Taisho and Lipsome agreed in November 1987 to develop andmarket the drug. Taisho paid last December Liposome(NASDAQ:LIPO) a milestone payment of an undisclosed amountunder the agreement. Taisho is also obligated to pay Liposomeroyalties on sales of the product in Japan, Taiwan and SouthKorea.

Liposome retained rights to the product in North and CentralAmerica. Taisho holds rights in all other countries.

The liposomal cardiovascular drug is Liposome's fourth productto enter clinical trials. The company is also conducting Phase IItrials in the United States of a liposomal form of the cancerdrug doxorubicin, the anti-fungal agent amphotericin B lipidcomplex and a liposomal form of gentamycin to treatMycobacterium avium intracellular infection in people withAIDS. -- Carol Ezzell

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