Subject: Chiron and Pandex To Develop, Market Tests for 2 Diseases
Date: Published: 10/23/84 76 lines
Source:  Wall Street Journal.  Copyright Dow Jones Inc. 

   Chiron and Pandex
   To Develop, Market
   Tests for 2 Diseases

   EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- Chiron Corp. said it and Pandex
Laboratories Inc., a closely held Mundelein, Ill., concern,
agreed to jointly develop and market diagnostic tests to
screen blood for Hepatitis B surface antigen and the
suspected AIDS virus.
   Under the agreement, Chiron will develop and make the test
reagents and Pandex will distribute the tests and their
delivery systems.  Terms weren't disclosed.
   As previously reported, Chiron, a genetic engineering
concern, announced last month that its scientists had cloned
the genetic material of a virus suspected of causing AIDS, or
acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
   The syndrome is characterized by a collapse of the body's
immune system, leading to such "opportunistic" diseases as
rare forms of cancer, pneumonia and other usually fatal
ailments.  AIDS most often strikes homosexual men with
multiple partners, drug addicts and recipients of blood
transfusions.
   The Chiron/Pandex team joins at least six other companies
searching for a diagnostic test for the suspected AIDS agent.
In June, the Department of Health and Human Services granted
five licenses to companies to develop and distribute a blood
test for AIDS. More recently, Genetic Systems Corp., Seattle,
said it formed a joint venture with France's Pasteur
Institute to develop and market an AIDS diagnostic test.
   The U. S. government has estimated that an AIDS diagnostic
test would have annual sales of more than $100 million.  The
test would be used by blood banks, hospitals and physicians
to screen blood donations before the donations are used for
transfusions or to make certain blood products.  The test
could also be used to detect the disease in patients.
   Pandex currently makes an automated immuno-assay system it
calls the Screen Machine.  The machine, which is based on
proprietary technology, will serve as the delivery system of
the planned AIDS and hepatitis tests.  The machine can screen
several hundred blood samples an hour, Chiron and Pandex
said.
   The five companies granted licenses by the U. S. government
to develop an AIDS blood test are:  Abbott Laboratories, North
Chicago, Ill.; Electro-Nucleonics Inc., Fairfield, N. J;
Litton Bionetics Inc., Kensington, Md., a unit of Litton
Industries Inc. ; Travenol/Genentech Diagnostics, Cambridge,
Mass., and a joint effort between Du Pont Co., Wilmington,
Del., and Biotech Research Laboratories Inc., Rockville, Md.
Travenol/Genentech is a joint venture of Baxter Travenol
Laboratories Inc., Deerfield, Ill., and Genentech Inc., South
San Francisco, Calif.
   A test is expected to be ready for marketing by early next
year.
    ---
   Abbott Labs AIDS Test
   NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. -- Abbott Laboratories said it
received Food and Drug Administration approval to begin
clinical trials of a test to screen blood for a virus
believed to cause AIDS. 
   In June, the health-care products concern received a U. S. 
license to develop and distribute a blood test for AIDS, or
acquired immune deficiency syndrome.  At that time Abbott said
it was given samples of the virus HTLV-111, a member of the
Human T-cell leukemia virus family.
   Abbott said the trials will be conducted throughout the
U. S. and the test will be available for FDA review by year's
end.

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