Subject: Unimed Nausea Drug Given `Orphan' Status
Date: Published: 2/26/91 (39 lines)
Source: Wall Street Journal. Copyright Dow Jones & Co. Inc.

    Technology:
    Unimed Nausea Drug
    Given `Orphan' Status

    SOMERVILLE, N. J. -- Unimed Inc. said its anti-nausea drug
 Marinol received "orphan drug" status as a treatment for
 appetite stimulation and weight-loss prevention in patients
 with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
    Under the Food and Drug Administration's orphan drug
 program, Unimed gets exclusive rights to market Marinol for
 this purpose for seven years.  The program is designed to
 develop cures for rare diseases.  Marinol, made from a
 synthetic form of a substance found in marijuana, has been
 marketed as an anti-nausea treatment for cancer chemotherapy
 patients since 1987.
    Unimed's stock price jumped yesterday.  Its stock was
 quoted at $4.25 bid, up $1.375, in over-the-counter trading.
    In addition to the new designation for Marinol, Unimed
 will receive research and development tax credits for its
 research in the drug's use in AIDS.  "The orphan designation
 substantially strengthens our competitive position as we seek
 to capitalize on the growth potential of Marinol," said
 Harold Tenoso, chairman and chief executive officer.
    Separately, Unimed recently reached an agreement for John
 N. Kapoor, a company director, to purchase 1.2 million Unimed
 common shares and warrants to buy 800,000 additional shares;
 if he exercised the warrants, Mr. Kapoor would have a 38%
 interest in the company, which has about 3.2 million shares
 outstanding, not counting the shares Mr. Kapoor is
 purchasing.

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