Subject: Cell Genesys Signs Pact on HIV Therapy With MedImmune
Date: Published: 5/6/92 (39 lines)
Source: Wall Street Journal. Copyright Dow Jones & Co. Inc.

    Technology:
    Cell Genesys Signs
    Pact on HIV Therapy
    With MedImmune

    FOSTER CITY, Calif.  -- Cell Genesys Inc. said it signed a
 collaborative agreement with MedImmune Inc. of Gaithersburg,
 Md., to develop a new type of cell therapy against human
 immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.  
    Under the pact, Cell Genesys, a closely held biotechnology
 company, gains an exclusive license to MedImmune's portfolio
 of antibodies against HIV.  MedImmune would receive licensing
 fees, royalties and payments when specific research
 milestones are reached.
    Cell Genesys plans to use the antibodies to create a
 special line of T-cell transplant products.  T-cells are white
 blood cells which play a major role in the body's immune
 defense against infections and malignancy.
    Scientists hope to use MedImmune's antibodies to endow the
 T-cells with specific power to kill HIV-infected cells.  The
 goal is to wipe out stubborn reservoirs of the virus in the
 human body.
    "We believe a T-cell transplant product may provide a new
 approach to the therapy of AIDS and may provide insight into
 the development of similar treatment strategies for other
 serious infections and malignancies in patients with
 immunodeficiency," said Stephen A. Sherwin, president and
 chief executive officer of Cell Genesys.
    However, such a treatment strategy hasn't been proved to
 hold any clinical benefit and Cell Genesys said it doesn't
 expect to begin human testing until 1993 or later.

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