Xoma Corp. of Berkeley, Calif., projected that the hoped-forapproval of its septic shock and "graft-vs.-host" products bythe Food and Drug Administration would move the companyfrom a projected loss of $14.5 million in 1990 to break even in1991. Without naming names, company President PatrickScannon also directly took on Centocor, Xoma's (NASDAQ:XOMA) rival in the septic shock market.

Scannon denied that Xoma's E5 presented more potential forallergic reactions than Centocor's half mouse/half humanmonoclonal antibody. Scannon said E5 caused allergic reactionsin 1.6 percent of patients, compared with a 1 percent allergicresponse to Centocor's drug. Scannon also attempted to refutecharges that Xoma's mouse-based monoclonal antibody, E5,could only be administered once, describing such charges as"science fiction, not science fact."

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