Subject: Repligen to Reacquire From Merck Rights To Certain Antibodies
Date: Published: 10/23/91 (45 lines)
Source:  Wall Street Journal.  Copyright Dow Jones & Co. Inc. 

    Technology:
    Repligen to Reacquire
    From Merck Rights
    To Certain Antibodies

    CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  -- Repligen Corp. said it is reacquiring
 from Merck & Co. the rights to certain monoclonal antibodies
 that the two companies have been developing as a potential
 HIV anti-infective.
    Terms of the reaquisition haven't been completed, Repligen
 said.  But the biotechnology and health-care concern plans to
 continue development and funding of this program on its own
 from cash reserves of more than $50 million.
    Repligen's stock price has risen steadily in national
 over-the-counter trading in the past few days.  In late OTC
 trading yesterday, Repligen shares soared $5.25 each, to $29.
 On Friday, the company announced that it had conducted two
 animal studies with Merck that indicated it may be feasible
 to develop an anti-infective against acquired immune
 deficiency syndrome infections in humans.
    Repligen said its clinical emphasis with the monoclonal
 antibodies will be in the area of HIV therapy.  Repligen said
 Merck plans to license separately other antibodies as a
 potential HIV anti-infective for postexposure prophylaxis.
    "Reacquiring these rights will allow Repligen to
 aggressively pursue development of our lead therapeutic
 monoclonal antibody product," said Sandford D. Smith,
 Repligen president and chief executive officer.  The company
 said it signed the initial development agreement in 1989.
    He added that Repligen's initial clinical strategy will be
 to evaluate the product candidate in AIDS patients.  Other
 possible clinical applications include prevention of
 mother-neonate transmission of HIV and post-exposure
 infection, Mr. Smith said.
    Repligen said it will continue to pursue the development
 of an AIDS vaccine with Merck under a separate agreement that
 began in 1987.

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