INVESTMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 1993
BIOVST.ZIP release 1.7
October 30, 1993
INVESTMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION............................................2
GOALS OF MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY...........................2
STRUCTURE OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.................3
CURRENT INTERESTS OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.........9
Drug discovery...................................10
Biomedicine:Diagnosis............................12
Biomedicine:Antibodies...........................13
Biomedicine:Immunology...........................15
Biomedicine:Interleukins and other cytokines.....20
Biomedicine:Nervous system.......................23
Biomedicine:Cancer therapy.......................26
Antisense........................................31
Transcription....................................32
Splicing.........................................34
Cell cycle.......................................34
Biomedicine:Virology.............................35
Biomedicine:Cardiovascular drugs.................39
Biomedicine:Wound healing........................39
Drug production..................................40
Drug delivery....................................41
Improvement of agricultural products.............42
Biological control...............................45
Marine biotechnology.............................45
Improvement of the environment...................46
ECONOMICS OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.................48
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY.........................51
INVESTING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY..............................53
SELECTED READING........................................54
APPENDIX A..............................................58
APPENDIX B..............................................59
APPENDIX C..............................................60
SHAREWARE...............................................62
REGISTRATION............................................63
INDEX...................................................64
UPGRADE CHANGES.........................................81
1
INTRODUCTION............................................#
INTRODUCTION
The biotechnology industry has suffered serious setbacks in
1993. A drop in stock prices for the biotechnology industry has
resulted from several blows to the industry: test results and the
political climate. A successful biotechnology industry is neces
sary, however, for the treatment of human disease, competitive
agriculture, and efficient management of the environment. The
biotechnology industry has developed with controversy since it's
inception in the 1970s. Recombinant DNA technology, patenting
life, and patenting DNA sequences have all been monumental deci
sions for society and its laws which were induced by the emer
gence of the biotechnology industry. The recent setbacks in the
industry provokes a reassessment of the industry in the United
States of America in order to maintain a fertile biotechnology
industry and the potential for profitability of investment in
biotechnology.
GOALS OF MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY...........................#
GOALS OF MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY
Manipulation of biology is desired to produce new drugs for
the treatment of human and animal disease, better agricultural
products, and a better living environment. Examples of new
desired products include: new drugs to treat and prevent infec
tious diseases, new drugs to treat cancer and aging, new and
improved agricultural products, new pesticides, and new products
2
to control environmental insults.
STRUCTURE OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.................#
STRUCTURE OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
Genentech, the founder company of modern biotechnology, has
grown to one of the largest of these firms with the development
of recombinant human insulin. Robert Swanson and Herbert Boyer
began Genentech in the early 1970s and it now has the "largest
center devoted to biotechnology", an $85 million facility."
Genentech was begun on the premise that "there was money to be
made in recombinant DNA". Genentech invests 50% of its revenues
on research and development compared to the average for the
pharmaceutical industry of 16.7%. The price of Genentech stock
has fared well during the recent slump in the prices of biotech
nology stocks, actually increasing. It has developed: recombin
ant human growth hormone (BioTropin), human recombinant insulin,
transforming growth factor-á-1 (TGF-á1), Activase to prevent
blood clotting which has decreased death rates by 25.9% in heart
attack patients, monoclonal antibodies to the HER-2 oncogene of
breast cancers, ç-Interferon (Actimmune has FDA approval for the
treatment of chronic granulomatous disease), Pulomzyme (DNAse
for the treatment of cystic fibrosis), a version of soluble CD4
for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) treatment, insulin
growth factor-1 (IGF-1), recombinant tumor necrosis factor and
others. A significant new product that they have recently
unveiled is a genetically modified human recombinant insulin that
can be processed by any cell in the body. This will lead to
3
novel gene therapy approaches to the treatment of diabetes and
other disorders.
Several organizations protect the interests of the biotech
nology industry. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
has recently been formed by the merger between the Industrial
Biotechnology Association (IBA) and the Association of Biotech
nology Companies (ABC). BIO has taken the 500 employees from the
Industrial Biotechnology Association and formed this organization
of biotech companies, educational institutions, and state bio
technology centers. Dr. G.K. Raab, president and CEO of Genen
tech, is now the head of this organization as the elected chair
man of the board. The president, Carl B. Feldbaum, will involved
in battles with BIO against environment protection groups over
issues of food labeling and the use of new plant varieties. This
organization will serve to protect the interests of the biotech
nology companies. These interests will include concerns about
the patenting process and patent infringements. The ABC repre
sented the interests of smaller biotechnology companies and these
two organizations have differed on policy. They differed on
legislation for orphan drugs, for example. The Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers Association (PMA), which has some members in common
with BIO, is another interest group of biotechnology.
The biotechnology industry has recently been given competing
stock indices on the AMEX and the CBOE. On October 9, 1992 the
Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and the American Stock
Exchange (AMEX) simultaneously launched competing index options
to track the volatile biotechnology industry. The Amex's (BTX,
biotechnology stock index) is made up of 15 stocks and the CBOE's
4
(BGX) is made up of 20 stocks. The overlapping stocks of these
indices and the complete list of the AMEX's index are listed in
appendix A. The AMEX's (BTK) is "equal dollar weighted" to avoid
dominance of any one stock. At inception, it had a market capi
talization of about 16.8 billion. The CBOE's is "price
weighted", like the Dow, and at inception had a market value of
about 19.2 billion.
Because of the discovery nature of the biotechnology indus
try, it has induced monumental changes in patent laws and the
patent process. Since its inception in the 1970s, these changes
have occurred in: the patentability of a discovery, the patenting
process, the patentability of life, and orphan drug act legisla
tion. The Intellectual Law Association and the organizations of
the biotechnology industry (which includes BIO) protect the
interests of the patents. The patentability of genetically
engineered organisms was upheld in Diamond v. Chakrabarty in 1980
and transgenic plants and animals have since been deemed "patent
able". Harvard University received the first patent for a
genetically altered mouse, the "oncomouse", in 1988. The li
cense was sold to Dupont. This has allowed the rapid develop
ment of recombinant DNA in biotechnology. The patent process is
still in upheaval, however, several issues are still not settled,
first to invent versus the "first to file" and the usefulness of
an invention. In the United States of America, most university
scientists publish first and file for a patent application later.
This is not true in most countries. In Europe and most foreign
systems, once a discovery is published, the inventor loses the
right to a patent. An invention must be "useful, novel, and non-
5
obvious" in order to be patentable. Novelty in United States
patent law is: "An invention not known or used by others in USA
or described in a printed publication...before the invention date
and not described in a printed publication or in public use or on
sale in the United States of America more than one year before
the United States application date". In such a case, the patent
obtains a 17 year monopoly for the invention. The United States
of America has been negotiating a universal patent agreement with
the with the World Intellectual Property Organization with a
move toward the "first to file" rather than "first to invent"
principle. In a recent case, however, the "first to invent"
rule was upheld. On February 17, 1993, the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office determined that claims in a Regeneron patent
application involving human ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF)
protein and their pharmaceutical compositions containing it were
allowable since they were the first to make the invention. This
is despite the fact that Synergen was the first to receive a
patent for CNTF in May 1991. CNTF is now in clinical trials for
treatment of Lou Gehrig's disease. In the last couple of years,
there has been a dispute about the patentability of DNA sequenc
es. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) sought to patent DNA
sequences that were found with expression tags. This would allow
NIH to patent DNA sequences for proteins with unknown functions.
If NIH had won this patent, it was argued that it would stifle
future research on those genes. A similar case is under scrutiny
yet. Researchers at Stanford want to patent sequences of the T
cell receptor. This is because mutations in these genes may lead
to autoimmunity, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
6
They seek to patent only specific uses, however, and the problem
of ownership is therefore avoided. The Orphan Drug Act is a
recent addition to laws brought about by the modern biotechnology
industry. The United States Orphan Drug Act was established in
1983 to promote the development of drugs for rare diseases.
Fifty drugs have since been approved for 59 conditions. There
are still a number of scientific and legal aspects of this act
which need to be refined. But this act will allow no other
patents on the same structure for the same condition for seven
years. If it is of a similar structure, it must be shown to be
better in clinical trials.
The drug evaluation process is under currently under scruti
ny in the United States of America as well. The method of drug
evaluation depends upon the organism for which the drug is being
developed. Drugs to be utilized for humans undergo pre-clinical
trials and phase I, II, and III trials. Pre-clinical trials
decide upon the efficacy and safety of the approach of the drug
and are based upon animal and in vitro studies. Clinical trials
occur sequentially with evaluation after each trial: Phase I
trials establish that a drug is safe for human use on healthy
volunteers, Phase II trials establish that the drug is effective
and what dose is effective with a small number of patients, and
phase III trials establish the dose and the effectiveness of the
drug on a large number of patients. The data from the clinical
trials are then submitted to the FDA for approval. A suggestion
has been suggested to improve the phase II studies and discontin
ue or reduce the size of phase III clinical trials. This would
decrease the time required for the commercial development of
7
products for therapeutic use, which is now an average of eight
years. Risk models for the evaluation of patients are important
for the outcome of clinical trials of many of the newer biotech
nology drugs. An example of the use new methods for the analysis
of clinical data is a risk model based upon the APACHE III(TM)
database. It is being used to monitor patients with systemic
inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Cortech, Inc. is using
this model in Bradycor clinical trials and describes the model
as: "..the state of the art analytical tool for evaluating the
benefits of sophisticated drugs in complex diseases". The APACHE
III model, allows data on patients to be to analyzed according
to their individual risk of mortality. It is accepted throughout
the world for scoring the severity of illness in critically ill
people. The APACHE method allows one to find patient subgroups
according to their risk profiles. Statistical methods such as
the APACHE III method increase the power of a test. This means
that they are more likely to find a difference between the treat
ment and the control groups. Therefore, the subgroup which can
benefit most from a drug can be determined. In other words, a
drug which is effective in the treatment of diseases may be found
ineffective by some statistical methods if the power of the test
is poor. The Apache III (TM) risk model was derived from the
analysis of over 100,000 patients within the APACHE III Interna
tional Database.
8
CURRENT INTERESTS OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.........#
CURRENT INTERESTS OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
Modern biotechnology has made significant contributions to
new methods of drug discovery, production, and delivery. New
drugs include the new antibodies, soluble receptors, recombinant
proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and derivatives of nucleic
acids. These are used for treatment and for diagnosis of dis
ease, the improvement of the environment, and better agriculture
methods.
HEADINGS:
Drug discovery
Diagnosis
Antibodies
Immunology: vaccines,allergies, and transplantation,
Interleukins and other cytokines
Nervous system disorders
Cancer therapy
Antisense
Transcription
Splicing
Cell Cycle
Virology
Cardiovascular drugs
Wound Healing
Drug production
Drug delivery
Agriculture
Biological Control
Marine Biotechnology
Environment
9
Drug discovery...................................#
Drug discovery
Biotechnology requires compound discovery. Old discovery
methods relied on screening of a large number of compounds for a
desired bioactivity. Compound libraries or organisms are
screened for the production of molecules based upon pre-deter
mined desired criterion. This has been used for discovering
antibiotics in the past, and still is uses by some companies for
drug discovery. Screening organisms for useful drugs is still
used by a number of drug firms. There are basically two ap
proaches to this: (1) screening libraries of compounds or pro
ducts of organisms for a desired activity and (2) The screening
of organisms known to be resistant to certain infections or
growth inhibit other organisms. One of the most recent com
pounds discovered by screening a large number of compounds for a
desired activity is taxol. Taxol has been approved for treatment
of ovarian cancer and is being produced by Hauser of Boulder,
Colorado for ovarian cancer. Drug screening technology itself
is a large part of modern biotechnology. Corporations, such as
Pfizer, Inc., utilize high throughput screens to find novel
compounds as well. A more modern variation to this approach is
being used by some companies by developing large peptide libra
ries which are screened for binding to a structure or for bioac
tivity. Affymax, Selectide, and Enzon all have examples of this
approach. Recombinant Fab combinatorial libraries have been
developed for this purpose as well. Fab fragment libraries
created from B cell RNA have been cloned into phagmid libraries
to be screened for pre-determined binding specificities (Strata
10
gene). Isolation of drugs based upon an organism's traits, such
as resistance to infection is also an active area of biotechnolo
gy. For example, the biological activity of squalamine was
recently found this way. The dogfish, which is resistant to in
utero microorganism infections produces squalamine. This com
pound has been very active against Streptococcus sp., Staphylo
coccus sp., Escherchia coli, and yeast. Other companies are
offering drug screening technologies for custom profiles of
biomolecules after they are discovered to determine the spectrum
of activities for it. This is offered by Oncogene Sciences as
the GEMS(TM) discovery system.
Techniques for the discovery of drugs have recently been
under scrutiny for patentability. The patenting of the polymer
ase chain reaction (PCR) by Cetus has been one of the newest
discovery methods with great impact to biotechnology. Cetus has
since sold the patent to Hoffman-LaRoche. PCR, is a reaction
where complementary DNA oligonucleotides are used to clone se
quences from DNA or RNA. A heat stable polymerase, taq polymer
ase, is used to amplify the sequence in between the areas where
the primers have annealed. In this way, if one knows flanking
sequences of genes, genes can be cloned right out of an organisms
DNA or RNA with very little analysis and time required. This all
takes place in a computer controlled apparatus made by Perkin
Elmer. Cetus has allowed the use of PCR in research, but the
availability of other polymerases (cheaper), has instigated a
crackdown on this patent by Hoffman-LaRoche. Hoffman-LaRoche,
the Swiss based pharmaceutical company, has initiated a suit
against Promega, Corp. of Madison, WI. Promega was licensed to
11
make and sell taq polymerase for a limited number of applications
which did not include PCR. They were undercutting Perkin-Elmer's
prices by up to %60. Other techniques which are likely come
under such scrutiny in the future include methods for sequencing
the human genome.
Biomedicine:Diagnosis............................#
Biomedicine:diagnosis
Genetic techniques for disease diagnosis play an extensive
role in modern biotechnology. New technologies include: FISHing
(Fluorescent in Situ Hybridization), PCR, and enzyme labeled gene
tag reagents. With the new technologies available, specific
translocations of genes involved in malignant transformation can
be found with greater precision. Furthermore, specific disease-
causing genes can be searched for and found in individuals for
genetic counseling purposes. PCR techniques can now be used to
specifically determine the presence of viruses in tissues provid
ing a direct link to viral infection, rather than just an asso
ciation of the change in antibody titer of patients or victims.
This has been used recently for the Four Corners Flu that has
occurred in the northern New Mexico-Arizona area. The Hantavirus
has been found in victims. This virus is transmitted to them by
rodents that live in the area. Genetic data for the presence of
the virus was found by PCR in tissues from the victims and deer
mice. Biotechnology companies are also developing genetic tech
niques for the diagnosis of the involvement of specific oncogenes
in cancer. For example, Oncogene Sciences has developed a hy
bridization probe kit for chronic myelogenous leukemia and there
12
are kits available for other translocations as well.
Biomedicine:Antibodies...........................#
Biomedicine:antibodies
Antibodies are used for a number of purposes in biotechnolo
gy. Two basic types of antibody preparations are utilized, poly
clonal and monoclonal. Polyclonal antibodies, heterologous
antisera, immune globulin, or hyperimmune globulin are produced
by whole living organisms. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by
the fusion of a myeloma cell with immune lymphocytes. The pro
duct is a cell line that produces only one antibody that binds a
desired determinant. Antibodies are useful for a number of
things in biotechnology. First, they are very useful for prophy
laxis against known exposure to pathogens or toxins. MedImmune
is developing a number of antibodies for this purpose including
polyclonal antibodies for prophylaxis against respiratory synci
tia virus (RSV) and cytomegalovirus (Cytogam) and a monoclonal
antibody for AIDS (Medi488). North American Biologicals, Inc.
has been given rights to HIVIG by Abbott, a polyclonal antibody
preparation from health HIV-infected individuals. This will be
used to attempt to prevent the spread of HIV to the infants of
pregnant women in a trial to begin soon. One in five women
transmit the virus to their infant in Utero or at birth. Gen
zyme, Inc. has entered into an aggreement with Univax Biologi
cals, Inc. to produce drugs for the treatment of diseases asso
ciated with cystic fibrosis. Neozyme II will be given the li
cense and development rights for these drugs from Genzyme, Inc..
HyperGam + CF will be used to give passive immunity to Pseudomo
nas infections. Pseudomonas spp. are responsible for life-threa
13
tening infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Second, they
play a very significant role in diagnostic reagents. This in
cludes bacterial and viral pathogens as well as cancers. For
example, kits have been developed recently with monoclonal anti
bodies that can detect ras oncoproteins. These proteins are
often involved in the development of aggressive cancers and may
be involved in as many as one fifth of all cancers. Third,
monoclonal antibodies have been developed for the treatment of a
number of disease conditions and are in various stages of devel
opment. These include antibodies to tumor necrosis factor (a
cytokine involved in septic shock) and antibodies to target
tumors with cytotoxic drugs or radiation for cancer therapy.
Seragen is developing fusion toxins which target activated T
cells via the IL 2 receptor. So far, this treatment will be used
for rhematoid arthritis, certain cancers (chemotherap resistant
lymphomas) type I diabetes, and HIV infection. Furthermore,
idiotype vaccines (killed MBP-reactive T cells are used to immun
ize against MS) have shown some promise and are in phase I trials
Most antibodies in use are products of animals other than humans,
therefore, because of species differences in their amino acid
sequences, they can be recognized by the immune system of another
animal. This is why humanized antibodies are being developed by
a number of companies, to avoid rejection of the antibody in
humans by the immune system. Humanized antibodies are the result
of the genetic engineering of antibodies of other species with a
desired reactivity for human treatment or prophylaxis. They have
been modified to be as similar to natural human antibodies, while
maintaining the desired reactivity. Companies in clinical trials
14
with humanized antibodies include: Cytogen, Genentech, IDEC
Pharmaceuticals, Protein Design Labs, and Scotgen Biopharmaceuti
cals. New methods of achieving humanized antibodies include the
use of mice which are transgenic for a mini-human antibody locus.
This is being are being tried by GenPharm of Mountain View, CA.
In this way,
these mice can be injected with a desired immunogen, and the
monoclonal antibodies produced can be screened for only the
antibodies of human sequence. They will not have to be modified
by further genetic engineering because they already contain only
human sequences. Lastly, antibodies and derivatives of them are
being used in medical imaging. For example, they will allow
better localization of areas for surgical removal of cancer
tissue.
Biomedicine:Immunology...........................#
Biomedicine:immunology
Vaccines are a large part of the biotechnology industry and
remain the only method of combating many diseases, particularly
viruses. The most celebrated vaccines are now the vaccines
against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) virus. Both,
vaccines aimed at preventing infection with the HIV virus and
AIDS and novel vaccines aimed at quelling the disease after
infection are being developed. Immune Response Corporation
released the results of its first clinical trial of a novel
vaccine designed to quell AIDS disease on June 13, 1993. A whole
virus preparation was used in which the virus has been chemically
stripped of its envelope. A study of 103 patients suggested
15
that those who received the experimental vaccine maintained
slightly reduced levels of virus. Although the results are
promising, it is less of a response than is desired for an AIDS
treatment. Some virologists have said that the differences were
so slight that the results were impossible to interpret.
Several biotechnology companies have taken the same approach to
stimulate the cellular immune response with particular proteins
of HIV. Furthermore, this vaccine may be used for the prevention
of infections. It has been shown that a small proportion of
people who have been infected with the HIV virus do not develop
AIDS and their antisera never tests positive for HIV. Cellular
immune responses can be detected, however. Alpha-1 Biomedical of
Washington D.C. and Cell-Sci of Alexandria, VA are developing
these vaccines. They are utilizing HGP30, the P17 core protein
of HIV, which is expressed very early in HIV infection. The
vaccine is actually being produced by Viral Technologies, Inc..
So far, clinical trials have detected no side effects for this
vaccine. The most popular approach, and probably the most
likely to succeed for protecting individuals from infection, will
probably involve the stimulation of neutralizing antibodies or a
combination of stimulating both cellular and humoral immune
responses. If the HGP30 vaccine approach is utilized it is hoped
that a combined vaccine will be used which stimulates both the
cellular immune response and antibodies. Neutralizing antibodies
are directed against gp120 (or gp160, an unprocessed viral pep
tide containing gp120). This is the protein that binds the CD4
molecule on T cells which the HIV virus uses to enter the cell.
A number of companies are developing these vaccines. Mammalian
16
versions of the gp120 vaccine are being developed for the LAI
(French isolate first discovered) and MN strains of HIV by Genen
tech. This will have the post-translational carbohydrate addi
tions of mammalian cells. A mammalian version of the SF-2 strain
is being developed by Biocine/Chiron. MicroGeneSys is developing
the gp120 and gp160-protein-based vaccines from the LAI strain in
insect cells with baculovirus vectors. These cells produce a
protein with some of the carbohydrates attached that mammalian
cells add. The gp160 molecule is being used in an approach
similar the above cellular immunity vaccine, HGP30. It is being
used on HIV-infected pregnant women to prevent transmittance to
the fetus. It is hoped that it will stimulate both cellular and
humoral immunity and prevent the transplacental transfer of HIV
to the fetus. This vaccine (VaxSyn) has also been approved by
federal government for HIV-infected armed service personnel.
Immuno AG has the version of this vaccine which is expressed in
mammalian cells. Vaccines which stimulate the antibody response
to prevent HIV infection can utilize the gp120 molecule or
synthetic peptides of the gp120 molecule. Peptides which corre
spond to the V3 region of the gp120, a region which mutates
frequently, are being developed by Repligen. A cocktail of a
number of peptides corresponding to the sequence of the V3 re
gions of a number of HIV isolates is being developed which is
hoped to induce immunity to the large number of mutants of HIV.
Since these peptides are often not very immunogenic, powerful
adjuvants will need to be used. One such adjuvant, Stimulon with
QS-21, has been developed by Cambridge Bioscience. Genentech has
chosen this adjuvant for use with its gp120 vaccine as well. A
17
number of other modern vaccines are also being developed by the
biotechnology community. One such approach utilizes the B sub
unit of cholera toxin which is a mucosal adjuvant. Mucosal
immunity has been achieved for SIV (simian immunodeficiency
virus) in monkeys. More "high-tech" approaches to vaccines are
also being developed against the AIDS virus and other organisms.
They involve the use of live vectors for delivering the immuno
gen. Recombinant proteins, such as gp160 or gp120 are being
placed in Vaccinia vectors (modified Small pox viruses) or BCG
(Bacillus Calmette-Guerin). These vectors stimulate both cellu
lar and humoral immunity. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a version of
this vaccine. It is a gp160-vaccinia recombinant vaccine. Other
modern vaccines are being developed to a number of pathogens.
MedImmune itself is developing a number of modern vaccines
against AIDS, parvovirus, and Lyme disease. Abt Associates of
Cambridge, MA and Family Health International of Research Trian
gle Park have been awarded this a 6.5 million dollar contract to
test the AIDS vaccines.
Treatment of allergic reactions to a number allergens has
been undertaken by modern biotechnology companies. ImmunoLogic
Pharmaceutical Corp. is developing Fel D I as CATVAX and AllerVAX
for the treatment of two common allergies, allergies to cats and
ragweed. CATVAX is now in phase II clinical trials.
Transplantation is an important area of research in biotech
nology today. Two of the most popular drugs in transplantation
immunology, used for inhibiting the rejection of transplants, are
cyclosporin A and FK506. These drugs can be taken orally and act
by inhibiting the activation of T cells. This is accomplished
18
mainly by the inhibition of a T cell transcription factor, NF-AT.
Serious side effects still occur with these drugs, which include
renal toxicity and neurotoxicity. Adhesion molecules are now in
vogue today and a large number of biotechnology companies are
devoted to studying these molecules. Newly discovered adhesion
molecules have been targeted to inhibit transplant rejection.
Adhesion molecules can be classified by their necessity for
signaling by T cells the immune system, these cells are respon
sible for graft rejection and the initiation of many immune
responses. The LFA 1, CD5, and CD2 molecules are not involved
in cell signaling, but increase the avidity of the interaction of
the lymphocytes with antigen presenting cells or targets. CD4 or
CD8 molecules are involved in signaling as are the antigen spe
cific receptors of T cells. A recent addition to adhesion recep
tors of T cells involved in signal transduction is the CD28
molecule. This molecule binds the B7 ligand and this interac
tion is necessary for the generation of cytotoxic T cells.
Cytotoxic T cells are involved in the removal of virus-infected
cells as well as the rejection of tumors and grafts. Molecules
similar to CD28 which block the interaction of CD28 with B7 have
been used for blocking allograft rejection. CTLA4Ig is one such
drug that has inhibited graft rejection.
The treatment of autoimmune diseases is being targeted by
modern biotechnology as well. New MS treatments are described in
the section on nervous system drugs. Similar treatments are
being considered for other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid
arthritis. Seragen is developing new treatments for autoimmune
diseases and HIV by targeting activated T cells via their IL 2
19
receptor with fusion toxins.
Biomedicine:Interleukins and other cytokines.....#
Interleukins are cytokines which allow intracellular commu
nication between cells of the immune system. There are now 14
interleukins numbered 1-14. Other cytokines of current interest
in biotechnology include: TGF-à, EGF, FGF, TGF-á, TNF-à,TNF-á,
CNTF, BDNF, neuroleukin, NGF, IGF, interferons, and Stem cell
factor (SCF).
The Interleukin 1s: Interleukin 1s are a family of structurally
related cytokines that all bind to two different receptors. This
family of proteins is composed of IL 1à, IL 1á, and IL 1ra.
These molecules are involved the initiation of immune response
(proinflammatory) and in the acute phase response of the liver.
Furthermore, receptors can be found in the neuroendocrine and
cardiovascular system. It is one of the cytokines responsible
for septic shock and is involved in the stress response and the
secretion of glucocorticoids.
Interleukin 2: Interleukin 2 is the first T cell growth factor
which was characterized, isolated, and cloned by recombinant DNA
methods. For this reason, this cytokine has been under investi
gation for the treatment of immune disorders and to generated
immune cells capable of killing cancer cells. This has worked to
some extent with cells called "lymphokine activated killer" or
LAK cells. Immune cells are treated in the laboratory with IL 2
and then readministered to cancer patients. Systemic use of IL 2
20
has proven to have too many side effects. Another approach to
kill tumor cells has involved transfecting tumor infiltrating
lymphocytes (TILS) with the IL 2 gene in the hope of delivering
the IL 2 to tumors locally. These studies are being performed by
the National Institutes of Health.
Interleukin 3: Interleukin 3, also known as multi-CSF (colony
stimulating factor) promotes the differentiation of early T cell
precursors, supports the establishment of T cells lines and
supports the proliferation of a broad distribution of hematopoie
tic stem cells. Furthermore, it synergizes with a number of
cytokines in colony formation by primitive stem cells (CD34+
cells).
Interleukin 4: Interleukin 4 was first characterized as a B cell
cytokine; however, it has turned out to be an important T cell
growth factor as well. It is involved in the growth of cytotox
ic T cells and T cells that collaborate with B cells and it is
absolutely required for IgE production. Anti-IL 4 antibodies
have proven to be useful in some types of vaccination, skewing
the development of T cell subpopulations: favoring T inflammatory
(IL 2 producing) cells in mice. Furthermore, renal cancer has
been treated in mice by the transfection of the tumor cells with
the a functional IL 4 gene. Genetic Therapy, Inc. has produced a
retrovirus which produces IL 4 for the treatment of melanomas,
kidney cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer.
Interleukin 5: Interleukin 5 is involved in B cell proliferation
21
and differentiation. Furthermore, it acts as an eosinophil
growth factor and is thus involved in parasite and tumor immuni
ty.
Interleukin 10: Inteleukin 10 is produced by TH2 cells, which are
responsible for the production of IL 4. It will inhibit the
production of TH1 cells (IL 2 producing).
Interleukin 12: Inteleukin 12 is produced by macrophages in
response to stimulus, such as Listeria. This cytokine is respon
sible for the development of TH1 cells. The loss of TH1 cells is
now believed to play a role in AIDS.
Interleukin 13: Interleukin 13 inhibits the secretion of inflam
matory cytokines in response to sepsis (See Interleukin 1).
Furthermore, it synergizes with Interleukin 2 in the induction of
interferon-ç production.
TNF: Cachectin and lymphotoxin are the tumor necrosis factors,
TNF-à and TNF-á. TNF-à is involved in septic shock and antibod
ies to it are being considered for treatment of septic shock.
Gene transfection experiments are also being performed with this
cytokine which are analogous to the IL 2 transfections. TILs are
being transfected in the laboratory and transferred back to the
patient.
TGF-ás: TGF-ás have pleotropic effects on many cell types
22
including immune cells and fibroblasts. They are involved in
immune memory, immune suppression and wound healing.
Transforming growth factor-ás (TGF-ás) (Genentech:TGF-á1, Cel
trix: TGF-á2, and Oncogene Sciences:TGF-á3), are members of a
family of over 18 proteins. These cytokines are being developed
to treat chemotherapy side effects, ischemic heart injury, and
wound healing disorders.
Cytokine combinations: The use of combinations of cytokines for
the purpose of treatment of disease or the growth of desired
cells is being performed by a number of companies. Cell-Sci is
one pioneering company which is doing this with "Multikine".
Amgen has also been involved in this research. One cytokine
combination which has proven useful for the purpose of growing
stem cells (CD34+, see stem cells) is the combination of Stem
cell factor (SCF) with other synergizing cytokines such as G-CSF,
GM-CSF, Erthyropoeitin (EPO) and IL 3.
Biomedicine:Nervous system.......................#
New drugs have been found for a number of nervous system
disorders including, brain tumors, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(Lou Gehrig's disease), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Betaseron,
a form of á-interferon (IFN-á1b), has recently been approved for
use by Chiron Corp. as the first licensed treatment for MS. It
is the only drug "specifically approved" for the treatment of MS.
The drug is being produced by Berlex, a unit of Schering AG
(SCHG.F). MS affects 250,000 to 300,000 Americans. MS is medi
23
ated by T cells which react with the myelin basic protein (MBP)
of the central nervous system. á-interferon is produced by
suppressor T cells and it is therefore hoped that the administra
tion of Betaseron to MS patients will suppress the MBP-reactive T
cells. This drug is not a cure and other more effective drugs
are needed. However, it has been claimed that this drug is as
effective as other drugs at controlling the disease. The admin
istration of 8 million units of Betaseron every other day de
creased the relapses and the number of patients with detectable
brain lesions compared to placebo controlled "relapsing-remitting
MS". In the one study performed so far, twenty nine percent of
the placebo patients had brain lesion detectable by Magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) while only 6% of the Betaseron treated
had the lesions. Furthermore, the number of attacks was de
creased, 0.9 vs 1.31 per year. Other drugs, specifically target
ing the MBP-reactive T cells are being developed and will prob
ably be more effective. Drugs such as toxin-conjugated antibod
ies which target the activated T cells and the T cells with the
receptors specific for MBP are being developed by a number of
companies. The induction of oral tolerance to MBP by feeding
patients the whole protein has also shown great promise (Selected
reading, Weiner et al.). Similarly this is being tried for
rheumantoid arthritis by feeding individuals collagen.
One obstacle to treatment of neurological disorders has
already been overcome. Getting drugs across the blood brain
barrier, BBB. The BBB does not allow large molecule to pass
across it. T cells get there only because they are activated and
are able to induce their transport across the barrier, transient
24
ly. Several companies, Alkermes and Cambridge Neuroscience, have
been able to target receptors at the BBB with antibodies and have
gotten drugs to pass into the brain. Therefore, drugs such as
antibodies, cytokines or peptides may be targeted across the BBB
where they can be effective. One cytokine which may be used for
the treatment of neurological defects or for the prevention of
neurological defects due to ischemic injury is nerve growth fac
tor, NGF. NGF has been shown to protect neurons from apoptosis
(a form of programmed cell death). Nerve growth factor is also
being explored for its ability to inhibit neuron death in the
case of brain trauma. Cephalon produces NGF as a nerve protector
and has been targeting the BBB as well.
Molecular surgery for the treatment of brain tumors may be
possible soon as well. Retroviruses with the Herpes Simplex
Virus thymidine kinase gene (HSV-tk) were introduced into rat
brain tumors by HSV-tk-transfected fibroblasts. The rats were
then treated with a drug that will kill a cell containing the
HSV-tk gene, gancyclovir. Complete tumor regression was ob
served.
New drugs are being produced by biotechnology for the treat
ment of peripheral nerve abnormalities as well. Ciliary neuro
trophic factor (CNTF) is now in clinical trials for amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). Regeneron is
now finishing phase II clinical trials. This protein drug has
been shown to inhibit apoptosis (programmed cell death) in neu
rons. Interestingly, the gene responsible for familial ALS has
been shown to be the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene. The pro
duct of this gene protects cells from radicals. Free radicals
25
are chemical agents that induce damage in the cells molecules,
such as their DNA. Furthermore, a protein which is believed to
monitor DNA integrity, p53, is involved in the induction of
apoptosis. It may be that CNTF will inhibit the apoptosis in
duced by this gene by this mechanism. Phase II clinical trials
for CNTF have been disappointing, in most cases showing no dif
ferences between treatment and control groups. Although it has
been shown to be safe, antibodies to CNTF developed in all pa
tients. Furthermore, some patients developed elevated tempera
ture, diarrhea, cold sores, and anorexia. One group of patients
patients in the Regeneron study may have shown a response to
CNTF. Those given high doses (12 patients) demonstrated less
deterioration of muscle strength (72%) and lung function (44-69%)
than the group that received the placebo (14 patients). It
should be pointed out that the original study was composed of 240
patients: one third was to receive 30æg/kg of CNTF, one third was
to receive 15æg/kg, and one third was to recive a placebo. The
phase III clinical trials are designed for a 95% probability of
determinng if CNTF is effective. Synergen an Syntex are planning
phase II/III studies of CNTF. So far, the side effects are the
same as those observerd in the Regeneron study. BDNF (brain
derived neurotrophic factor) is also currently being considered
by Amgen and Regeneron for treating ALS. It has been shown to
protect neurons as well. Other drugs which will decrease radi
cals in cells are also being explored. Vitamins C and E will do
this as well.
Biomedicine:Cancer therapy.......................#
26
Biomedicine:cancer therapy
Many new approaches to the treatment of cancer are under
investigation by modern biotechnology. Drugs which kill dividing
cells are the most frequently used today. These non-specific
drugs have the problem of killing many normal cells as well as
tumor cells. Most notably, they kill lymphocytes. Furthermore,
tumor cells often become resistant o these drugs by the up-
regulation of a multiple drug resistance gene. This leads to the
overproduction of P-glycoprotein and the resistance to a large
number of chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, new approaches
should be more specific for the cell type, will hopefully have
less toxic side effects, and be less prone to multiple drug
resistance. The goal is to be more specific and more efficient
at killing tumor cells. This is being approached at several
levels: cell surface growth factor receptors, intracellular
second messengers for growth factor receptors, and the transcrip
tion of nuclear oncogenes, the introduction of normal tumor
suppressor genes and new methods of immunotherapy. Drugs which
are targeting the activation domains of tyrosine kinases are
being developed by a number of the above mentioned methods. It
is hoped that drugs which are very specific for the tyrosine
kinases responsible for altered signaling in cancer cells will be
found. For example, drugs which will target SH2 and SH3 domains
of a cell-type specific tyrosine kinase would be more useful than
drugs which inhibit any dividing cell. Drugs which inhibit Ras
oncogenes are being studied by a number of companies. Most
recently, Merck Research Laboratories in West Point, PA and
27
Genentech, Inc. of S. San Francisco, CA, have been looking for
drugs that inhibit the post-translational modification of the ras
oncogenes. In order to function efficiently, the ras oncogenes
require membrane association via a farnesyl group. Several
custom drugs have been found by these groups which will act in
low concentrations (micromolar). Furthermore, no toxicity has
been found yet in vitro. Ligand Pharmaceuticals of San Diego, CA
is another company developing small molecules with propriety
technology which target intracellular receptors (IR) for hormone
receptors. Targeting the ligands for growth factor receptors is
being preformed by a number of biotechnology companies as well.
Antagonists, soluble receptors, or neutralizing antibodies to
the ligands which cause the aberrant growth of cells are being
sought and developed. The aberrant production or control of
transcription factors has been shown to cause the transformation
of many cell types. Therefore, an approach with great promise is
to find a method of inhibition of these aberrantly controlled
transcription factors. Oncogene Sciences has made a commitment
to this and have developed diagnostic reagents for translocations
involved in leukemia and is focusing a large part of their com
pany's effort on transcription factors. Furthermore, the have
developed diagnostic reagents for mutations in the ras oncogene.
This oncogene is involved in a number of aggressive malignan
cies.
Tumor suppressor genes are now a very active area of cancer
research. These are genes which normally inhibit the growth of
cells; the loss of their function causes transformation. The
retinoblastoma protein (RBP), p105 and p53 examples of these
28
genes. Transfection of transformed cells with a wild type p53
has been shown to cause the reversion of these cells to a normal
phenotype. Onyx Pharmaceuticals is committed to the production
of "small molecule therapeutics for cell growth and differentia
tion". This California company was formed in 1992 from the
molecular oncology group of Cetus, Corp. and it is financed by
three venture capital firms and Chiron, Corp. The will be
specifically targeting the ras gene superfamily and tumor sup
pressor genes. Genetic therapy for lung cancer is being consid
ered as well. A retrovirus containing the antisense k-ras gene
or wild type p53 will be used to attempt the transfer of these
genes to the tumor cells to regulate their growth.
New cancer treatments based upon immunotherapy have shown
alot of promise recently. As mentioned above, some T cell
adhesion receptors are involved in signal transduction. This is
the CD28 molecule and the B7 ligand. This interaction is neces
sary for the efficient generation of cytotoxic T cells. Cytotox
ic T cells are involved in the removal of virus-infected cells as
well as the rejection of tumors and grafts. This molecule or
modifications of similar B7 binding molecules (CTLA4Ig) have been
used to prevent graft rejection and to generate cytotoxic T cells
which cause rejection of tumors in mice.
Transfection of effector T cells with genes that encode the
T cell receptors (TCR) which recognize tumor-specific antigens
have demonstrated success in a limited number of cases. Specifi
cally, a lymphoma caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). T
cells from a sibling were transfected with the TCR genes and then
administered to the patient. Other treatments are being devel
29
oped for other tumors with the same approach: the targeting of
viral tumor antigens. Targeting tumor specific antigens is also
being considered for the treatment tumors of non-viral origin.
Furthermore, processed peptides of oncogenes are being consid
ered. The mutation of proto-oncogenes causes the formation of an
oncogene and often a cancerous cell. This can be a "single hit"
of a "multiple hit", i.e the result of one oncogene or the result
of several oncogenes. Some oncogenes may be processed by the
cell and present the "oncogene-specific" peptide to autologous T
cells. For example, ras mutants have been considered. Vaccines
are being attempted which will generate these T cells.
Stem cells are progenitors of mature cells in the organism.
There are many different types of stem cells. These cells will
be useful for replacement cell therapy and gene therapy. Stem
cells of the immune system are the most noteworthy at this time.
These cells are capable of generating many mature cell types of
the immune system. Cellpro, Inc. of Bothwell, WA has been able
to isolate hematopoietic stem cells. Using a monoclonal anti
body that defines a determinant CD34 (cluster of differentiation
number 34) they have isolated hematopoietc stem cells by positive
selection with their patented CEPRATE system. The patients bone
marrow cells are labeled with the anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody
and are then passed over a column that will bind that antibody.
The cells are then positively selected by washing them off of the
column with an acid wash. This removes the cells from the column
and the antibody from the cells. Applied Immune Sciences has a
similar cell separation system, the AIS MicroCELLector. These
stem cells have also been grown with the use of stem cell factor
30
(SCF) in vitro. It has been found that the administration of
these stem cells to cancer patients after treatment with drugs
such as Cytoxan and Thiotepa with G-CSF (granulocyte-colony
stimulating factor, Amgen's Neupogen) has significantly decreased
their chemotherapy side effects. GM-CSF (granulocyte macrophage
colony stimulating factor, Immunex's Sargramostim) is also under
investigation for these treatments. A study is presently being
performed with this protocol followed by taxol treatment for
ovarian cancer. Similar treatments are in phase I and phase II
clinical trials for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and breast cancer.
CD34+ cells have also been used for allogeneic bone marrow trans
plantation with good results. Cellpro, Inc. is expected to get
half of this market. Future prospects for CD34+ cells include
genetic engineering applications. If these cells are modified
with a gene to deliver a drug, they may be present in the body
for a longer period of time than more differentiated cells. TGF
á3 (see Cardiovascular drugs) is also being developed for cancer
therapy. It will be used to decrease side effects caused of
chemotherapeutic drugs, such as oral mucositis. Oral mucositis
is a painful wound healing disorder.
Antisense........................................#
Antisense
Antisense drugs are some of the most promising drugs which
are on the verge of an explosion in use. Prototypes of these
drugs have been used to: inhibit gene function for the treatment
atherosclerosis in animals, inhibit tumor causing retroviruses in
31
mice, inhibit oncogene transcription, inhibit of virus produc
tion, inhibit pigment production in flowers, and inhibit the
breakdown of tomatoes. Antisense compounds aimed at papilloma
virus infections, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes viruses are
in several stages of development. Enzo biochem has an exclusive
antisense patent with the State University of New York, but a
number of companies are developing antisense drugs. Isis is now
in phase I clinical trials for human papilloma virus infection.
A disease thought to infect over six million women in the U.S.A..
Antisense compounds have been devised which inhibit gene tran
scription by triplex formation, mRNA translation, and cause the
breakdown of specific mRNAs. Isis has also developed antisense
compounds with their new patented "second generation" chemistry
that inhibit the ras oncogenes, specifically c-Ha-ras. These
antisense compounds were shown to be effective against cancer
cells by researchers at Isis. Similar oligonucleotides are
being developed by Microprobe of Bothwell WA. They are develop
ing nucleotide and protein drugs for the detection and treatment
of conditions such as vaginitis. Antisense compounds which have
shown great promise recently have been developed by Gilead Sci
ences. C-5 propyne pyrimidine containing antisense oligonucleo
tides are ten times more potent than other antisense compounds.
These drugs make up a significant proportion of the "designer"
drugs of modern biotechnology.
Transcription....................................#
Transcription
32
The ability to specifically regulate genes will aid condi
tions such as: cancer, genetic disorders, and aging. Tran
scription inhibitors are being developed and are in the very
early stages of development. Areas to be targeted for these
compounds will include oncogene specific transcription factors of
viral enhancer/promoters. Oncogene Sciences has made a commit
ment to study transcription inhibitors for anticancer therapeut
ics. A company that was formed recently, Tularik, Inc., will
look for transcription inhibitors as drugs. Steven McKnight has
formed Tularik, Inc. with Robert Tjian of Univ. of Calif., Berke
ley and David Goeddel of Genentech. Tularik, Inc. will focus on
inhibitors of transcription for these drugs. The first targets
for drugs will be viruses such as herpes viruses. Drugs which
enhance transcription of specific genes are also being developed.
Vertex, Inc. has licenesed the use of small organic molecules
from Children's Hospital Oakland which enhance the transcription
of fetal hemoglobin. Fetal hemoglobin is not normally utilized
by adult cells. It has a slightly higher affinity for oxygen
than adult hemoglobin which aids the transplacental transfer of
oxygen. The gene is not actively transcribed in the adult.
These organic molecules, one administered orally and the other
intravenously, potentiate the transcription of this silent gene
in adults. These molecule will be used to treat the hemoglobin
disorders, á-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. Fetal hemo
globin has been shown to benefit these patients. Vertex, Inc. is
committed to rational-drug design.
33
Splicing.........................................#
Splicing z
Splicing is the process used by Eukaryotic cells to combine
gene segments into a functional mRNA for translation. Eukaryotic
genes are often separated on the DNA chromosome by "untranslated
regions" called Introns. To join the translated regions (the
Exons), the large RNA transcript is "spliced" to produce a func
tional mRNA for translation into protein. This process is being
targeted by a number of companies to produce a number of products
including better agricultural products and AIDS therapeutics.
For example, the alteration of the normal splicing process could
inhibit gene translation. Furthermore, the production of novel
"spliceosomes" could destroy viral RNA, such as HIV RNA. Ribo
zyme Pharmaceuticals of Denver, CO, a biotech startup company of
United States Biochemical Corp., is one company involved in this
research. They currently have are working with DowElanCo to
produce better agricultural products, such as a disease-resistant
corn and a corn which produces more oil. Innovir Laboratories of
New York, NY is cleaving target RNA with the enzyme RNAase-P
attached to specific sequences. They are currently interested in
blocking viruses and disease causing proteins.
Cell cycle.......................................#
Cell Cycle.
The process of cell division, or proliferation takes dis
crete steps. Through an ordered progression of stages a cell
34
divides. In these steps, the cell synthesizes new proteins, DNA,
and other macromolecules. The cell cycle is most simply divided
into the stages: G0 (G stands for gap), G1A, G1B, S (Synthesis,
DNA), G2, and M (mitosis). Most cells of an organism are in the
the G0 stage. Mitogens or growth factors move the cell out of
this stage and into the G1A stage. It is at this step that many
of the drugs aimed at transcription factors and growth factor-
associated protein kinases are founded. See the section on
cancer therapy. TGF-ás inhibit cell division in late G1 stage.
The retinoblastoma gene product and p53 are examples of tumor
suppressor genes that act at the G1/S boundry. Mutation of these
genes is associated with several malignancies. Gene therapies
based upon the introduction of a non-mutated or wild type RB or
p53 are being tried as a cancer treatment. See cancer therapy
above. Other portions of the cell cycle are being targeted by a
number of companies. See transcription above. One company spe
cifically devoted to cell cycle-based therapeutics is Mitotix,
Inc..
Biomedicine:Virology.............................#
Biomedicine: Virology:
Antiviral compounds will be highly profitable for modern
biotechnology and are under intense investigation. As already de
scribed, viruses are obligate intracellular organisms, they must
replicate in living cell. This is because they require energy
production from the cell as well as its macromolecule synthetic
machinery. Since these functions are required by the cell as
35
well, these functions are difficult to target for antiviral
compounds because normal cell function is disrupted. An antivir
al compound must be created which interrupts virus specific
functions. This will depend on the type of virus and often on
the specific virus. This is in contrast to anti-bacterial agents
such as penicillin or streptomycin. These agents act on compon
ents specific for bacteria and will act on many different bacte
ria. The life cycle for a virus is: adsorbance, penetration,
uncoating, replication and/or latency, packaging, and maturation
and release. These are the stages that are targeted for antivir
al compounds. Adsorbance is the step most often targeted. This
is accomplished with the induction of antibodies by vaccines, as
mentioned above. Other methods for blocking virus adsorbance
include the recent use of soluble CD4 (sCD4) to block the adsor
bance of HIV to T cells as an AIDS treatment. Replication is
also targeted for antiviral compounds. This approach is depend
ent upon the type of virus. Retroviruses, RNA viruses which
must integrate in to DNA to replicate, utilize a virus-specific
enzyme for replication. This enzyme, reverse transcriptase,
transcribes DNA from the virus's RNA. This is the target of AZT,
ddI, and ddC. Although AZT has been shown to prolong life for
AIDS patients, it has been disappointing that there is no dif
ference in the patients who have been treated before ARC (AIDS-
related complex). AZT apparently has a "limited benefit for a
limited period of time". Furthermore, a recent panel of inde
pendent experts does not recommend AZT therapy to people with
extremely low CD4 counts. Healthy individuals have CD4 counts
ranging from 800-1200 and people infected with the HIV virus have
36
CD4 counts in the 200-500 range. A new formulation of drugs
which also targets reverse transcriptase has been devised recent
ly by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital that incorpo
rates 3 reverse transcriptase drugs, U-90,152. It contains all
three of the above mentioned drugs, AZT (zidovudine), ddI (diano
sine) and ddC (zalcitabine). This is very potent in the labora
tory. There was data to suggest that it may be difficult for the
virus to mutate and become resistant to this combination. Howev
er, recent reports have claimed that HIV is able to mutate after
20-30 generations in the laboratory. This type of convergence
therapy is also being developed by Merck for HIV. They are
conducting clinical trials with a two-drug combination which
utilizes the same principles. Antisense compounds are also being
used to target viruses. These drugs can be specific for mRNAs of
viruses and block the production of virus specific proteins or be
targeted toward DNA of the virus and inhibit the transcription of
specific mRNAS. Gene therapy approaches may prove to be fruitful
here as well, and some adeno-associated virus vectors with anti
sense HIV genes have been tried and have been shown to work in
vitro. Genta has an antisense drug for the treatment of acute
leukemia caused by the HTLV I virus. This has been shown to work
in mice. Isis has an antisense drug for human papilloma
viruses and others are being developed for HIV, CMV, and Herpes
viruses. The antisense drug for human papilloma virus is in
pivotal phase II clinical trials. A patent has also been issued
to them to them for Epstein-Barr virus infections. A herpes
virus that infects over 80% of the worlds population. This
antisense drug is directed at EBNA-1, a gene that is expressd in
37
some lymphomas, leukoplakias, and carcimonas. Gilead Sciences,
Inc. has a new powerful antisense drug which is ten times more
effective than those previously used. Abbott Laboratories of
Illinois have developed a drug for treatment of HIV infection
which targets the maturation step of the virus. HIV requires a
dimer of a protease molecule for maturation. Abbott Laborato
ries has designed a symmetrical molecule which as a high affinity
for the active site of this molecule, thus blocking maturation of
the virus (C2 inhibitor). The AIDS virus, HIV, has also been
implicated in programmed cell death, apoptosis. L. Montagnier,
the discoverer of the HIV virus, has suggested the use of anti-
apoptotic agents along with antiviral agents for the prolongation
of life in AIDS as well. These agents include: vitamin C,
vitamin E, N-acetyl-cysteine, and superoxide dismutase. Retinoic
acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A has also been shown to
inhibit apoptosis in T cells (see selected reading).
Gene therapy approaches to the inhibition the transcription
of viral genes and the maturation of viruses are also being
attempted. Several approaches are being attempted. What seems
fruitful recently has been the targeting of antibodies to virus
products to specific intracellular locations. So far, a modified
antibody has been targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
The ER is the intracellular organelle which begins post-transla
tional modification of proteins. An antibody directed against
gp160 of the HIV was placed in a DNA vector. Transfection of
cells with this DNA construct has been shown to inhibit matura
tion of the HIV virion. Other intracellular targets are being
investigated for this virus (and other viruses), as well. Fur
38
thermore, other peptides and antibodies may be found by screening
techniques such as those described in the drug discovery section.
Biomedicine:Cardiovascular drugs.................#
Biomedicine: cardiovascular drugs:
Cardiovascular drugs have been under development by modern
biotechnology companies. Transforming growth factor-ás (TGF-ás)
(Genentech:TGF-á1, Celtrix: TGF-á2, and Oncogene Sciences:TGF-
á3), are members of a family of over 18 proteins. TGF-ás have
pleotropic effects on many cell types including immune cells and
fibroblasts. They are involved in immune memory, immune suppres
sion and wound healing. TGF-ás have been shown to mediate cardi
ac protection after ischemic injury. The protective effect is
thought to be due to the inhibition of TNF (tumor necrosis fac
tor) secretion by lymphocytes after ischemic injury. Antisense
oligonucleotides (Genta) are some of the newer cardiovascular
drugs which have shown promise. Specifically, antisense oligonu
cleotides for the c-myb oncogene have been shown to inhibit
closure of the arteries after angioplasty.
Blood substitutes are being developed by Somatix. Artifi
cial blood products is one of the major new biotechnology pro
ducts of this company.
Biomedicine:Wound healing........................#
Biomedicine:Wound Healing
Wound healing is a complicated process involving the fibro
basts, epidermal cells, and the immune system. Future use of
modern biotechnology will utilize cytokines to promote wound
39
healing in people who cannot heal properly and to grow skin for
transplants to severe disruptions in skin integrity, such as in
burn patients. The TGF-ás are involved in would healing (Genen
tech:TGF-á1, Celtrix: TGF-á2, and Oncogene Sciences:TGF-á3).
Oncogene Sciences, Inc. is developing the use of TGF-á3 with
Pfizer, Inc. and Ciba Geigy, Limited for the treatment of healing
disorders such as oral mucositis which occurs after chemotherapy
and wound healing in aged individuals.
Drug production..................................#
DRUG PRODUCTION:
Advances in biotechnology has spurred and demanded new
methods of drug production. Bacteria have been used for years to
produce recombinant proteins for pharmaceutical use. The most
notable of these is insulin. Baculovirus systems have been
recently developed and used for the production of drugs in vitro.
Baculoviruses grow in insect cell lines which grow very rapidly
in culture. These cells are used for the production of recombin
ant proteins from eukaryotic (non-bacteria) organisms. These
cells are capable of post-translational modifications, like
glycosylation. Therefore, the recombinant protein grown in these
cells generally has a better bioactivity than those produced in
bacteria. The most recent addition for methods of drug produc
tion developed by modern biotechnology are transgenic animals
which produce pharmaceuticals in their milk. Goats, cows, and
pigs are being developed which produce specific pharmaceuticals.
Genepharming Europe BV, is developing cows that produce a human
antimicrobial protein in their milk, lactoferrin. Pharmaceutical
40
Proteins of Edinburg is developing transgenic sheep that will
produce human alpha-1 antitrypsin in their milk. Transgenic
goats are being developed by Genzyme Transgenics, a subsidiary of
Genzyme, that will produce CFTR in their milk. CFTR is the
defective protein in the disease cystic fibrosis. So far, only
microgram quantities can be produced in these goats. They hope
amounts suitable for clinical use can be produced within the
decade. See the drug delivery section below. Transgenic plants
are another method by which modern biotechnology products will be
produced. See the agriculture section below.
Drug delivery....................................#
Drug Delivery
Any compound conceived of or discovered by the above method
requires a delivery system to be realized as a commercial bioac
tive molecule. A drug delivery system includes the method of
application of the drug to the organism, the method of cell
uptake, and stabilization of the compound for efficient delivery.
This delivery can take the form of a virus, an antibody, a modi
fied antibody, a chemical or a selected binding peptide. Seragen
is developing fusion toxins which target activated T cells via
the IL 2 receptor. So far, this treatment will be used for
rhematoid arthritis, certain cancers (chemotherap resistant
lymphomas) type I diabetes, and HIV infection. Furthermore,
idiotype vaccines (killed MBP-reactive T cells are used to immun
ize against MS) have shown some promise and are in phase I tri
als. Derivatives of antibodies which are reduced in size are
being developed for enhanced drug delivery (Creative Biomolec
41
ules) and Single Chain Antigen Binding (SCA(TM)) technology is
being developed by Enzon. These smaller molecules are better
able to penetrate tumor tissues. Viral vectors have already been
used to treat disease and several studies will be undertaken very
shortly. So far, human gene therapy has involved retroviral
vectors only. For example, a crippled retrovirus with a the
adenine deaminase gene inserted in it has been used for treatment
of some cases of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Future
gene therapy will most likely include the use of other vectors
such as herpes virus vectors and adeno-associated virus vectors
as well as retroviruses. An adenovirus based gene therapy has
been approved for use in cystic fibrosis. Studies are underway
to deliver drugs by transfection of blood and cells with the gene
therapy. PEGnology has been one of the most fruitful drug deliv
ery systems of the last decade. Drugs are attached to polyethy
lene glycol and this gives them better stability and solubility
properties. This has been used for IL 2, soluble CD4 (sCD4), and
many other proteins. Enzon has an orph n drug patent on PEG-
glucocerebrocidase for the treatment of Gauchers disease. Trans
dermal drug delivery is now being used to delivery of drugs
through the skin by osmosis and electric currents. The e "high-
tech" systems are showing promise for the controlled continuous
delivery of drugs.
Improvement of agricultural products.............#
Improvement of Agricultural Products:
42
Plants are now in a "third wave of plant biotechnology".
The "first wave" was to produce plants with improved agronomic
traits, such as disease and herbicide resistance. Kirin Brewery
of Japan has spent 2.5 million dollars for Calgene, a Campbell
soup company, to develop disease resistant potato seedlings.
Calgene has also developed BXN cotton which is resistant to the
herbicide bromoxynil. Furthermore, attempts are being made to
place antibody genes in tobacco plants at Scripps Research Insti
tute in La Jolla, California as a new form of transgenic plant
which produces its own pesticide. Antisense genes for plant
viruses are being developed as well. The bean yellow mosaic
virus (BYMV) antisense gene is hoped to protect ornamental flow
ers and legumes against the virus. Genetically modifying
agricultural products to produce bacterial toxins is one approach
to reducing the use of conventional insecticides. Bacillus
thuringiensis delta toxins have been used to transform several
crops and impart pest resistance to them. Plant genetic materi
als (PGMs) from plants resistant to disease are used to produce
new plants that are resistant to disease. Ribozyme Pharmaceu
ticals is developing a corn which is more resistant to disease
using their splicing technology. The "second wave" of plant
biotechnology was to produce altered plants with better food
processing traits, such as slowing down the ripening of tomatoes
with antisense transgenes. This was accomplished by Calgene, who
developed the "Flavr Savr tomato". Calgene has also developed a
non-antisense or co-suppression recombinant DNA method to control
tomato ripening that will be useful in many different plant
species. This method of "Ethylene Control" utilizes a DNA con
43
struct for the introduction of an enzyme that controls ripening.
A U.S. patent was granted to Calgene for this method of "Ethylene
control" in July of 1993. Furthermore, a corn which produces
more oil is being developed by Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals. The
"third wave" of plant biotechnology is yielding plants that
produce phamaceuticals, specialty chemicals, and biopolymers.
This is being attempted by a number of companies, including
Monsanto and Biosource Genetics Corp. Monsanto has transgenic
tobacco plants that produce à-amylase and Michigan State Univers
ity, in collaboration with Miescher Institute in Basel, Switzer
land have produced turnips which produce human à-interferon.
Future modifications of plants will include plants that use less
fertilizer, improvement of nitrogen fixation or the creation of
nitrogen fixing non-legume plants. Steps toward this goal have
been the determination of the structure of enzymes involved in
nitrogen fixation and the induction of nodules on non-nitrogen
fixing plants which may one day hold microbes capable of fixing
nitrogen, like legumes. Ornamental plants may undergo a transi
tion induced by modern biotechnology. The luciferase gene, the
gene that causes fire-flies to emit light, has been successfully
transfected into plants. This may one day lead to a new genera
tion of ornamental plants that emit light. So far, however, the
chemical substrate for luciferase.
Genetic engineering of livestock has been undertaken by a
number of companies with limited success so far. Transgenic
cattle with a leaner meat are being attempted. Genetic Engi
neering of Colorado has attempted to create cattle transgenic for
the chicken myosin gene. This has not been successful, yet.
44
Although the gene was inserted and the chicken gene was made, the
animal developed muscle weakness early in life and was "put down"
at a very young age.
Biological control...............................#
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
Biological control with techniques of modern biotechnology
is being investigated for the maintenance of biodiversity, the
control of pests, and prevention of the transmission of disease
to humans. For example, recombinant vaccines have been developed
to vaccinate wild animals against the rabies virus. Biological
control of pests with infectious agents is being attempted for
vermin of agricultural products. Parasitic wasps are being
examined for the control of caterpillars which destroy a number
of crops. Fungi which infect onion worm larvae are another
example of an approach to biological control of agricultural
products. Furthermore, bacterial toxins are being investigated
for the control of insects as an alternative to insecticides (See
the improvement of agricultural products section). Biological
control of organisms in order to preserve biodiversity is now
being scrutinized in Australia to preserve the numbats, an Aus
tralian marsupial. However, this approach has reasonably been
questioned. Since this approach will sterilize red foxes and
rabbits with viruses, the fear of the escape of these organisms
from Australia and the sterilization of world populations of
these two organisms is a reasonable concern.
Marine biotechnology.............................#
MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
45
Current interests of marine biotechnology include develop
ment of fish which are resistant to disease and with desirable
growth characteristics, new treatments for fish diseases, and
diagnosis of fish illnesses. Breeding fish with desired traits
is being approached by classical genetic methods and by new
technologies like the introduction of transgenes. The release of
transgenic fish into the environment is now being considered by
scientists and environmentalist groups. The national biotech
nology center at the National Wildlife Federation is an environ
mental group that is considering this proposal. The Agricultural
Biotechnology Research Advisory Committee (ABRAC) is developing
safety standards. Treatment and diagnosis of fish diseases is an
active interest of biotechnology, particularly for domestic pro
duction of fish. Fish ponds and holding pens are used for the
farming of fish for human consumption. These environments are
unnatural and lead to the rapid dissemination of disease. There
fore, methods of early detection and treatment are required for
these environments. For example, Mirologix Biotech, Inc. is
developing detection kits and treatments for: Bacterial kidney
disease (Renibacterium salmonianrum), Furunculosis, (Aeromonas
spp.), Vibrosis (Vibrio), and Red-mouth disease (Yersinia ruck
eri).
Improvement of the environment...................#
IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT:
46
Improvements in the environment which can be the result of
modern biotechnology will obviously include: clean water, photo
synthesis, O2 production and C02 utilization, and removal toxic
pollutants. Japan Research Development Corp. has committed $15
million over 5 years to Michigan State University for the devel
opment of microbes to improve the environment. Many other compa
nies have been involved in this research as well. Previous
successes have included genetically modified bacteria for digest
ing hydrocarbons.
Biodiversity and the maintenance and/or repair of the eco
system are of current interests to the world and the biotechnolo
gy industry as well. There have been significant setbacks re
cently, however, and these are in part due to the biotechnology
industry in the United States of America. The United States of
America hesitated at the recent summit on the "Biodiversity
Treaty" and it was not signed by the United States of America
even though 98 countries adopted it. The Clinton administration
has now signed it and it is waiting to be ratified by the senate.
The United States of America was concerned that the treaty is
merely an attempt to co-opt a technology that they already domi
nate, biotechnology. The explanation for their failure to sign
the treaty is that its uncertain compulsory licensing scheme may
defeat its own purpose, causing a greater destruction of the
current biodiversity. However, there is now a controversy about
whether to charge the West royalties for the use of PGMs (plant
genetic materials) from developing countries. This demand has
been increased recently in the wake of the biodiversity treaty.
47
The maintenance of biodiversity and the world ecosystems is
likely to require drastic measures which protect our biological
resources and our biotechnology industries. The Biotechnology
industry is likely to play a large role in maintaining biological
diversity as well as creating a better living environment.
The identification of a new taxol source is an example of a
recent success the biotechnology industry. Environmentalists
have been concerned that the Pacific yew tree would be wiped out
by the isolation of taxol from it. Now a new source has been
identified, the fungus Taxomyces andreanae. Cytoclonal Pharma
ceutical, Inc. has recently agreed to commercialize this form of
taxol.
ECONOMICS OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.................#
ECONOMICS OF THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
The biotechnology industry has suffered serious setbacks in
1993. This drop in stock prices for the biotechnology industry
has resulted from several blows to the industry: test results and
the political climate. Furthermore, drug prices have come under
a great deal of scrutiny and are also affected by the political
climate as well as the structure of the health care centers. The
move toward managed care networks has created large purchasers of
health care products. These large purchasers are forcing compa
nies to developed breakthrough and cost-effective products.
Test results have caused a major setback in the biotechnolo
gy industry recently. These have resulted from drugs targeting
the septic shock that can result from infection of the blood
stream after illness, trauma, or surgery. Centocor and Xoma
48
corporation were both developing a version of monoclonal antibod
ies to endotoxin. Endotoxin is the component gram negative
bacteria responsible for initiating septic shock. Centocor's
"Centoxin-HA-1A" and Xoma's "E " versions of these antibodies
were aimed at neutralizing the endotoxin. Both were deemed
ineffective by the FDA on January 18, 1993 for treating septic
shock. The second blow to drugs designed to treat sepsis came
with the phase III clinical results of Synergen's drug, Antril.
Synergen's stock price loss was dramatic. The price of Syner
gen's stock dropped 28 points, from 42.125 to 14.125 in one day,
February 22, 1993. Antril is Synergen's preparation of an antag
onist for interleukin 1 receptors called IL 1ra. Interleukin 1
is secreted by the immune system in response to components of
bacteria and it initiates many of the symptoms of septic shock,
such as hypotension. Administration of IL 1ra preparations, such
as Antril, were to alleviate the effects of the IL 1 induced by
the infections. Phase II clinical trials were very impressive
for Antril, treated patients exhibited 27% mortality versus 64%
for those who received the placebo. Phase III clinical trials
were very poor, however, and this sent Synergen's stock down on
February 22, 1993. Antril treated patients had a 29% mortality
versus 34% for patients who received a placebo. A detailed
chronology of Synergen's Antril failure can be found in appendix
B. Soluble interleukin 1 receptor, developed by Immunex has also
been deemed ineffective for septic shock. Xoma is in phase I
clinical trials with another product aimed at treating septic
shock, RBI-23. This compound is a recombinant version of human
BPI. BPI, or bactercidal protein, also binds IL 1 and TNF.
49
Therefore, it may have the effect of both inhibiting the action
of the endotoxin induced IL 1 and TNF.
The political climate has also effected the prices of bio
technology stocks. There has been an uneasiness about the
healthcare reforms that the Clinton administration will be ini
tiating. The AMEX's biotechnology index, BTK, fell to 103 in
August of 1993 from January's price of 170 and the CBOE's, BGX,
stock index fell from 162 on December 31, 1992 to 101 in August
of 1993. However, the Clinton administration allocated a 16%
increase to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and a 3.3%
increase to NIH. Together with postive fellings about the Clin
ton Administration's "Healthcare Reform", the BTK and the BGX are
recovering in October of 1993 at 134 and 130, respectively.
Drug prices are also affected by the political climate.
This in turn will naturally affect drug profitability and the
stock prices of pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. A recent
report from the Office of Technology Assessment said that the
market failed to control drug prices. Furthermore, drug firms
have been accused of gouging the public. U.S. drug prices are
higher in the U.S.A., and the U.S. Senate has accused the indus
try of price-gouging. They have claimed that the revenues of the
pharmaceutical industry far exceed other industries and that
market pressures do not affect the prices of drugs. Obviously,
all of this affects drug prices. Despite these price criti
cisms, drugs have been shown to be the most cost-effective thera
py and pharmaceutical firms invest more in research and develop
ment than any other industry, 16.7% or their revenues. Further
more, the PMA claims there must be potential for high reward to
50
justify the risk that pharmaceutical companies must take. There
fore, any controls imposed should not stifle drug development
and will have to take this into consideration. The U.S. gov
ernment has supported this as well. President Clinton's health
care reform has imported no price controls for the pharmaceutical
industry. An example of the biotechnology industry controlling
its own prices has occurred for transgenic animals. There has
been an uproar recently about the prices of transgenic mice and
knock-out mice. GenPharm of Mountain view, CA was accused of
charging 10 times more for "knockout" mice than non-profit
organizations. The president of GenPharm told the National
Academy of Science recently that researchers can buy the breeding
pairs and then breed as many as they want for an annual fee of
$1000.
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY.........................#
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY
Keeping up with the biotechnology industry: news and servic
es. There are a number of investment newsletters available,
several of which keep track of predominately biotechnology stocks
(appendix C). For general stock analysis, "The Chartist", is
highly rated. The AgBiotech stock letter, Medical Technology
Stock Letter, and Sturza's Medical Investment Newsletter mainly
focus on medical-technology companies. Investing often has
interesting articles, but must be used with caution. For exam
ple, in January of 1993 claimed that Synergen stock "was nearing
the end of a long fall from its all time high of 75". As men
51
tioned above, Synergen's stock fell 28 points in one day to
14.25, with a high of 19 for the day. There are several databas
es that can be found on-line. Current Quotes and the Executive
News Service of CompuServe Information Service (CIS) are very
useful for tracking the daily activity of biotechnology stocks.
Several folders can be made to track biotechnology news for
inventions, results, and company reports. Furthermore, Smart
Scans and Knight-Ridder's Knowledge Index can be found on CIS.
Knight-Ridder's Dialog, a more sophisticated database, has
several files which are useful for obtaining specific information
on biotechnology. See appendix B for a list of useful databases
on Dialog. Mead Data Central of Dayton, Ohio, which offers Lexis
and Nexis services, was to allow individual users access in 1991.
GEnie, the computer service of General Electric also offers
several useful databases similar to CIS. Furthermore, they offer
a gate to the Dow Jones News/Retrieval service. The Prodigy
service can be used for retrieving stock quotes.
52
INVESTING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY..............................#
INVESTING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
Investing in the biotechnology industry can be very profit
able. In the last couple of years there have been a large number
of "winners" in the market. Immunex, Oncogene Sciences, Cellpro,
and Biogen are all example of this. Immunex is now part of
American Cyanamid after a merger with the Lederle Oncology Corpo
ration in June of 1993. The recent fall of the stock price of
several biotechnology companies, however, has introduced the
possibility of loosing money by investing in biotechnology. For
example, the fall of Synergen's stock by 70% in one day was an
incredible unpredictable loss. Obviously, care must be taken
when investing in biotechnology today. The establishment and
maintenance of a successful personal portfolio of stocks of
modern biotechnology companies will require intelligence and
thought. This can be done by being informed of the goals of
individual biotechnology companies and their approaches to devel
oping and producing their biotechnology goals. Discount brokers
can be found on most large computer services, such as Quick and
Reilly and Spear Securities on CIS. Alternatively, one can
invest in biotechnology investment funds. One fund which has
done well is Global Health Sciences Fund of Denver, CO. Through
much of the slump in biotechnology prices described above, they
showed a $0.00/share loss. They can be reached at (800) 528-8765
or (303) 930-6521.
53
SELECTED READING........................................#
SELECTED READING:
Eisenberg, RS. 1992. Genes, patents, and product development.
Science 257:903-918.
Marshall, E. 1991. The patent game: Raising the ante. Science
253:20-24.
Kiley, TD. 1992. Patents on random complementary DNA fragments?
Science 257:915-918.
Adler, RG. 1992. Genome Research: Fulfilling the public's expec
tations for knowledge and commercialization. Scien e 257 :908-
914.
Amato, I. 1992. Speeding up a chemical game of chance. Science
257: 1992.
Anderson, C. 1993. Clinton's technology policy emerges. Science
259: 1244.
Science. May 28, 1993. AIDS: The unanswered questions. Science
260:1254-1285.
Erickson, J. et al. 1990. Design, Activity, and 2.8 crystal
structure of a C2 symmetric inhibitor complexed to HIV-1 pro
tease. Science 249:527-534.
Vagelos, PR. 1991. Are perscription drug prices high. Science
252: 1080-1084.
Trends in Biotechnology
Saiki, RK, Gefland, DH, Stoffel, S, Scharf, SJ Higuchi, R, Horn,
GT, Mullis, Erlich, HA. 1988. Primer-directed enzymatic amplifi
cation of DNA with a thermostable DNA polymerase. Science
239:487-494.
Koff, WC and Hoth, DF. 1988. Develoment and testing of AIDS
vaccines. Science 241:426-432.
Geisow, MJ. 1993. Aching for approval, hoping for harmony -
biotech product regulation. Trends in Biotechnology 10:107-110.
Liu, DT-Y. 1993. Glycoprotein pharmaceuticals:scientific and
regulatory considerations, and the US Orphan Drug Act. Trends in
Biotechnology 10:114-120.
Balter, M. 1991. How Europe regulates its genes. Science
252:1366-1368.
Friden, PM et al. 1993. Blood-Brain Barrier penentration in Vivo
activity of and NGF conjugate. Science 259:373-377.
Rosen, DR et al. 1993. Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase
SELECTED READING (CONTINUED):
54
gene are associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Gibbs, WW. 1993. Try, Try Again: Making antibodies more useful by
making them more human. Scientific American 269:101-103.
Kohl, NE et al. 1993. Selective inhibition of ras-dependent
transformation by a farnesyltransferase inhibitor. Science
260:1934-1937.
James, GL, 1993. Benzodiazepine peptidomimetics: Potent inhibi
tors of ras fanesylation in animal cells. Science 260:1937-1942.
Burk, DL, Barovsky, K, Monroy, GH. 1993. Biodiversity and bio
technology. 1993. Science 260:1900-1901.
Gougeon, M-L and L Montagnier. 1993. Apoptosis and AIDS. Science
260:1269-1270.
Ketajima, I. et al. 1992. Ablation f transplanted HTLV-I Tax-
transformed tumors in mice by antisense inhibition of NF-KB.
Science 258:1792-1796.
Nature 359:67. Antisense c-myb for athleroscerosis.
Hyde, SC. 1993. Correction of the ion transport defect in cystic
fibrosis transgenic mice by gene therapy. Nature 362:250.
Anderson, WF. 1992. Human gene therapy. Science 256:808-814.
Chatterjee, S et al. 1992. Dual-target inhibition of HIV-1 in
Vitro by means of an adeno-associated virus antisense vector.
Science 258:1485.
Culver, KW et al. 1992. In Vivo gene transfer with retroviral
vector-producer cells for treatment of experimental brain tumors.
Science 256:1550.
Trail, PA et al. 1993. Cure of Xenografted human carcinomas by
BR96-Doxorubicin immunoconjugates. Science 261:212-215.
Rabizadeh, S, J Oh, L-t Zhong, J Yang, CM Bitler, LL Butcher, DE
Bredesen. 1993. Induction of apoptosis by the low-affinity NGF
receptor. Science 261:345.
Anderson, WF. 1992. Human Gene Therapy. Science 256:808-814.
Golumbek, PT, AJ Lazenby, HI Levitsky, LM Jaffee, H KArasuyama, M
Baker, DM Pardoll. 1991. Treatment of established renal cancer by
tumor cells engineered to secrete interleukin 4. Science
254:713.
SELECTED READING (CONTINUED):
Iwata, M, M Mukai, Y Nakal, and R Iseki. 1992. Retinoic acids
inhibit activation-induced apoptosis in T cell hybridomas and
thymocytes. J. Immunol. 149:3302-3308.
55
Pietsch, T, U Kyas, U Steffens, E Yakisan, MR HAdam, W-D Ludwig,
K Zsebo, and K Welte. 1992. Effects of human stem cell factor (c
kit ligand) on proliferation of myeloid leukemia cells: Heterero
geneity in response and synergy with other hematopoietic growth
factors. Blood 80:1199-1206.
Betaseron Study. April 1993. Neurology.
Lehner, T, LA Bergmeier, C Panagiotidi, L Tao, R Brookes, LS
Klavinskis, P Walker, J Walker, RG Ward, L Husaain, AJH Gearing,
adn SE Adams. Induction of mucosal and systemic immunity to a
recombinant simian immunodeficiency viral protein. Nature
258:1365-1369.
Mervis, J.. 1993. Regulations go Swimmingly. Science 261:542.
Stone, R.. 1993. Biotech firm licenses taxol-making fungus.
Science 261:543.
Stierle, A., G. Strobel, D. Stierle. 1993. Taxol and Taxane
production by Taxomyes andreanae, endophytic fungus pacific yew.
Science 260:214.
Nijn, I, L das Neves, A van Kammen, H Franssen, and T Bisseling.
1993. Nod factors and nodulation in plants. Science 260:1764.
Palca, J. 1992. Testing target date looms, but will the vaccines
be ready. Science 257:1472.
Travis, J. Putting antibodies to work inside cells. Science
261:1113.
McGaughey, W.H. and M.E. Whalon. 1992. Managing insect resist
ance to Bacillus thuringiensis toxins. Science 258:1451.
Morell, V. 1993. Australian pest control by virus causes concern.
Science 261:683.
Weiner, H.L., G. A Mackin, M. Matsui, E.J. Orav, S.J. Khoury,
D.M. Dawson, D.A. Hafler. 1993. Double-blind pilot trial of oral
tolerization with myelin antigens in multiple sclerosis. Science
259:1321.
Zhang, J., R. Medaer, P. Stinissen, D. Hafler, and J. Raus. 1993.
MHC-restricted depletion of human myelin basic protein-reactive T
cells by T cell vaccination. Science 261:1451.
Hsieh, C.-S., SE Macatonia, CS Tripp, SF Wolf, A O'Garra, KM
Murphy. 1993. Development of TH1 CD4+ T cells through IL-12
produced by Listeria-induced macrophages. Science 260:547-549.
Cohen, J. T cell shift: Key to AIDS therap ? Science 262:175-
176.
56
APPENDIX A..............................................#
APPENDIX A
The Overlapping Stocks of the CBOE and the AMEX are:
Amgen (AMGN)
Biogen (BGEN)
Centocor, Inc. (CNTO)
Chiron (CHIR)
Cytogen Corp. (CYTO)
Enzon, Inc. (ENZN)
Gensia Phamaceuticals (GNSA)
Genzyme Corp. (GENZ)
Greenwich Pharmaceuticals Inc. (GRPI)
*Immunex (IMNX)
Liposome Co. Inc. (LIPO)
Synergen (SYGN)
Xoma (XOMA)
*Immunex has been replaced by Immune Response Corporation on the
AMEX due to a merger with American Cyanamid.
The AMEX's Biotechnology Index
BTK: Total Capitalization as of June 2, 1993 was 91.8 million.
Amgen (AMGN)
Genzyme Corporation (GENZ)
Biogen (BGEN)
Immune Response Corporation (IMNR)
Synergen, Inc. (SYGN)
Enzon, Inc. (ENZN)
Xoma Corporation (XOMA)
Gensia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (GNSA)
Cambridge Biotech Corp.
Liposome Company, Inc. (LIPO)
Centocor, Inc. (CNTO)
Chiron Corp. (CHIR)
Scios Nova, Inc. (SCIO)
Cytogen Corp. (CYTO)
Greenwich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (GRPI)
57
APPENDIX B..............................................#
APPENDIX B
The following are quotes from the Denver Post concerning the fall
of Synergen's stock price:
January 19, 1993
BIOTECH STOCKS WOBBLY:Synergen bounces on Centocor news.
January 28, 1993
HOAX POUNDS BIOTECH STOCKS:Synergen shares plummet after false
drug-test report.
"One person's hoax, based in impatience or perhaps greed,
has sent the entire biotech industry reeling and the stock of
Boulder-based Synergen Inc. plunging"
"...on Tuesday, someone identifying himself as a doctor
involved n Synergen's study phoned in phony results to a medical
newsletter. Calling himself a physician from UCLA, he said the
drug known a Antril simply didn't work."
"While the report was'nt true, it was enough to sent Syner
gen's stock dropping more than $6 per share."
""Unfortunately, rumors of this sort no matter how specious
they may be are impossible to refute definitively, especially
when they're in such a vulnerable period"......."
""These rumors are illogical and spurious. The greatest
probability remains that the results (of Antril tests) will be
very good.""
.."The mess started Tuesday (1/26) when Evan Sturza of
Sturza's Medical Investment Letter received a call from a "Dr.
Miller", who claimed to have participated in the University of
California at Los Angeles arm of the study of Antril, Synergen's
sepsis drug.""
February 18, 1993
SYNERGEN NET LOSS SURGES
"Synergen Inc., a Boulder-based biopharmaceutical company,
reported more than a 1,000 percent increase in net loss for the
fourth quarter ....."
February 22, 1993
SYNERGEN STOCK PLUNGES 70%:Weak drug price sinks NASDAQ
58
APPENDIX C..............................................#
APPENDIX C
DIALOG DATABASES FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION
BIOBUSINESS: Covers current and retrospective biotechnology
information for business professionals, Fi e number 285, 1985-
present.
BIOCOMMERCE ABS AND DIRECTORY: Abstract records and company
profiles of the biotechnology business, Fi e number 286, 1981-
present.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ABSTRACTS: Coverage of biotechnology publications,
File 357, 1982-present
CLAIMS/REASSIGNMENT: Patents that have been reviewed by the
government and have been reassigned, File number 123.
DERWENT BIOTECHNOLOGY ABSTRACTS: File numbers 350 and 351.
DRUG INFORMATION FULLTEXT (DIF):File number 229. Brief descrip
tions of all new drugs approved by the FDA. It corresponds to
AHFS drug information and the Handbook on Injectable drugs publi
cations.
EMBASE: File numbers 72 (1974-present), 73 (1985-present), 272
(selected records from 8 weeks of 1989).
INVESTEXT: Information about companies, industry, geographic
reports etc , File numbers 545 (1982-present), 277 (1988-
present).
IMSWORLD R&D FOCUS: Latest Scientific and commercial developments
in international pharmaceuticals, File number 445.
JAPIO: Japanese patents, File number 347
PATENTS: Full text of patents, File number 654.
PATFUL: United States of America Patents, three files: 654
(1990), 653 (1980-1989) and 652 (1971-1979).
PHIND: Pharmaceutical and healthcare industry news database,
agriculture is covered as well, AGROW and Animal Pharm., File
number 129.
PREDICASTS: Newsletters classified by the industry, it includes
biotechnology, File numbers: 16 (1972-present), 216 (1988-1990),
636 (1988-present).
UNLISTED DRUGS: File Number 140.
59
APPENDIX C (CONTINUED):
CompuServe Databases
DISCLOSURE
VALUE-LINE
GEnie Databases
VESTOR
Dow Jones/News Retrieval
60
SHAREWARE...............................................#
INVESTMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY IS SHAREWARE:
The author has a Ph.D. in Microbiology/Immunology and ex
pects a $30.00 fee for use of this material. Its last update was
October 15, 1993. Register your copy by sending $30.00 to P.O.
Box 18978, Denver, CO 80218-0978. The institutional and corpo
rate rate for 10 or more copies is $20.00/copy. Copyright, 1993.
It is planned that this file will be updated frequently. There
is no charge for updates of the same whole number. Updates will
carry a $15.00 charge. The author can be reached on CIS at
71240,2762.
61
REGISTRATION............................................#
REGISTRATION OF INVESTMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Rel 1.63
REGISTRATION : Investments in biotechnology is being distributed
on a SHAREWARE principle. Each individual user is responsible
for the registration of their copy if they decide to keep and use
it.
SEND MONEY ORDER OR CHECK TO:
P.O. Box 18978
Denver, CO 80218-0978
TOTAL*
INDIVIDUAL (1-9 COPIES): $30.00 EACH _____ COPY(IES) ______
ORGANIZATION (10+ COPIES):$20.00 EACH _____ COPIES ______
* A disk can be obtained for an additional $5.00. A bound print
out can be obtained for an additional $20.00.
62
INDEX...................................................#
INDEX
Abbott, 13
Abbott Laboratories, 38
ABC, 4
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, 3
Actimmune, 3
Activase, 3
Acute leukemia, 37
Adenine deaminase, 42
Adeno-associated virus vectors, 37, 42
Adenovirus, 42
Adhesion molecules, 19
Adhesion receptor, 19
Adhesion receptors, 29
Adjuvant, 17, 18
Adsorbance, 36
Adult hemoglobin, 33
Aeromonas spp., 46
Affymax, 10
AgBiotech stock letter, 51
Aged, 40
Aging, 33
Agricultural, 45
Agricultural Products, 42
Agronomic traits, 42
AIDS, 3, 13, 15, 16, 18, 36, 38
AIDS treatment, 16
AIS MicroCELLector, 30
Alkermes, 25
Allergens, 18
Allergic, 18
AllerVAX, 18
Allograft rejection, 19
Alpha-1 antitrypsin, 40
Alpha-1 Biomedical, 16
ALS, 25, 26
American Cyanamid, 53, 58
American Stock Exchange, 4
AMEX, 4, 5, 50, 58
Amgen, 23, 26, 31
Amgen (AMGN), 58
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, 23, 25
Angioplasty, 39
Antagonist, 49
Antagonists, 28
Anti-apoptotic agents, 38
Anti-bacterial, 36
Antibodies, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 25, 26, 36, 38, 41
Antibody, 13, 14, 15, 30, 38, 41
Antibody gene, 43
Anticancer therapeutics, 33
Antimicrobial, 40
Antisense, 31, 32, 37, 39, 43
Antisense drugs, 31
Antisense oligonucleotides, 39
Antisense patent, 32
63
Antiviral, 35, 36
Antiviral agents, 38
Antril, 49
APACHE III, 8
Apache III (TM) risk model, 8
APACHE III International Database, 8
APACHE III method, 8
APACHE III model, 8
APACHE method, 8
Apoptosis, 25, 26, 38
Applied Immune Sciences, 30
Armed service, 17
Arteries, 39
Artificial blood, 39
Association of Biotechnology Companies, 4
Atherosclerosis, 31
Autoimmune diseases, 19
AZT, 36, 37
B cell, 21
B cells, 21
B7, 19, 29
B7 ligand, 19, 29
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, 18
Bacteria, 36, 40, 47
Bacterial kidney disease, 46
Bacterial toxins, 45
Baculovirus, 17, 40
Baculoviruses, 40
BBB, 24, 25
BCG, 18
BDNF, 20, 26
Bean yellow mosaic virus, 43
Berlex, 23
Betaseron, 23, 24
BGX, 4, 50
BIO, 4, 5
Biocine, 17
Biodiversity, 45, 47
Biodiversity Treaty, 47
Biogen, 53
Biogen (BGEN), 58
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL, 45
Biological diversity, 47
Biopolymers, 44
Biosource Genetics Corp, 44
Biotechnology, 12
Biotechnology index, 50, 58
Biotechnology Industry Organization, 4
Biotechnology stock index, 4
BioTropin, 3
Blood, 39
Bone marrow transplantation, 31
BPI, 49
Bradycor, 8
Brain derived neurotrophic factor, 26
Brain lesions, 24
Brain trauma, 25
64
Brain tumors, 23, 25
Breast cancer, 21, 31
Breast cancers, 3
Bristol-Myers Squibb, 18
Bromoxynil, 43
BTK, 5, 50, 58
BTX, 4
BXN, 43
BYMV, 43
C-5 propyne pyrimidine, 32
C-Ha-ras, 32
C-myb, 39
C02 utilization, 46
C2 inhibitor, 38
Cachectin, 22
Calgene, 42, 43
Cambridge Bioscience, 17
Cambridge Biotech Corp., 58
Cambridge Neuroscience, 25
Campbell soup company, 42
Cancer, 15, 20, 27, 31, 32, 33
Cancer cells, 27
Cancer therapy, 14, 26, 31
Cancer treatment, 29
Cancers, 14, 41
Carbohydrate, 17
Carbohydrates, 17
Carcimonas, 37
Cardiac, 39
Cardiovascular, 31, 39
Cardiovascular drugs, 39
Cats, 18
CATVAX, 18
CBOE, 4, 5, 50, 58
CD2, 19
CD28, 19, 29
CD34, 30
CD34+, 23, 31
CD34+ cells, 21
CD4, 16, 19, 36
CD5, 19
CD8, 19
Cell-Sci, 16, 23
Cellpro, 53
Cellpro
Inc., 30, 31
Cellular immune response, 16
Cellular immunity, 17
Celtrix, 23, 39, 40
Centocor, 48
Centocor
Inc. (CNTO), 58
Centoxin-HA-1A, 48
Central nervous system, 24
Cephalon, 25
CEPRATE, 30
Cetus, 11
65
Cetus
Corp., 29
CFTR, 41
Chemotherapeutic, 27, 31
Chemotherapy, 23, 31, 40
Chicago Board Options Exchange, 4
Chicken, 44
Chicken myosin, 44
Children's Hospital Oakland, 33
Chiron, 17
Chiron
Corp, 29
Chiron (CHIR), 58
Chiron Corp., 23
Chiron Corp. (CHIR), 58
Cholera toxin, 18
Ciba Geigy
Limited, 40
Ciliary neurotrophic factor, 25
CIS, 51, 52, 53
Clinical trials, 7, 18
Clinton administration, 50
Cluster of differentiation, 30
CMV, 32, 37
CNTF, 6, 20, 25, 26
Co-suppression, 43
Colon cancer, 21
Colony stimulating factor, 21
Colorado, 44
Column, 30
Combined vaccine, 16
CompuServe, 61
CompuServe Information Service, 51
Convergence therapy, 37
Cortech, 8
Cotton, 43
Cows, 40
Creative Biomolecules, 41
CTLA4Ig, 19, 29
Culture, 40
Current Quotes, 51
Cyclosporin A, 18
Cystic fibrosis, 41, 42
Cytogam, 13
Cytogen, 15
Cytogen Corp. (CYTO), 58
Cytokine, 14, 20, 21, 22, 25
Cytokine combination, 23
Cytokine combinations, 23
Cytokines, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 39
Cytomegalovirus, 13, 32
Cytotoxic drugs, 14
Cytotoxic T cell, 29
Cytotoxic T cells, 19, 21, 29
Cytoxan, 31
Database, 52
Databases, 52, 60, 61
66
DdC, 36, 37
DdI, 36, 37
Deliver drugs, 42
Delivery system, 41
Denver Post, 59
Derivative, 41
Diabetes, 3, 14, 41
Diagnosis, 12, 45
Diagnostic reagents, 28
Dialog, 52, 60
Diamond v. Chakrabarty, 5
Dianosine, 37
DISCLOSURE, 61
Discount brokers, 53
DNA, 34
DNA construct, 43
Dogfish, 11
Dow, 5
Dow Jones News/Retrieval service, 52
Dow Jones/News Retrieval, 61
DowElanCo, 34
Drug, 41
Drug delivery, 41, 42
Drug development, 50
Drug discovery, 10
Drug prices, 50
DRUG PRODUCTION, 40
Drugs, 39
Dupont, 5
E5, 48
EBNA-1, 37
EBV, 29
ECONOMICS, 48
Ecosystem, 47
Ecosystems, 47
Edinburg, 40
EGF, 20
Electric current, 42
Endoplasmic reticulum, 38
Endotoxin, 48, 49
ENVIRONMENT, 46
Enzo biochem, 32
Enzon, 10, 41, 42
Enzon
Inc. (ENZN), 58
Enzymes, 44
Eosinophil, 22
Epidermal cells, 39
EPO, 23
Epstein-Barr virus, 29, 37
Equal dollar weighted, 5
ER, 38
Erthyropoeitin, 23
Ethylene Control, 43
Eukaryotic, 40
Executive News Service, 51
Exons, 34
67
Farnesyl group, 28
Fel D I, 18
Fertilizer, 44
Fetal hemoglobin, 33
Fetus, 17
FGF, 20
Fibrobasts, 39
Fibroblasts, 23, 39
First to file, 5, 6
First to invent, 6
Fish, 45
FISHing, 12
FK506, 18
Flavr Savr tomato, 43
Flowers, 32
Food processing, 43
Four Corners Flu, 12
Free radicals, 25
Furunculosis, 46
Fusion toxins, 14, 20, 41
Future gene therapy, 42
G-CSF, 23, 31
Gancyclovir, 25
Gauchers disease, 42
GEMS(TM) discovery system, 11
Gene therapy, 3, 30, 37, 38, 42
Genentech, 3, 4, 15, 17, 23, 33, 39, 40
Genentech
Inc., 28
Genepharming Europe BV, 40
General Electric, 52
Genetic disorders, 33
Genetic engineering, 14, 31, 44
Genetic Therapy
Inc., 21
Genetically, 47
GEnie, 52, 61
GenPharm, 15, 51
Gensia Phamaceuticals (GNSA), 58
Gensia Pharmaceuticals
Inc. (GNSA), 58
Genta, 37, 39
Genzyme, 41
Genzyme
Inc., 13
Genzyme Corp. (GENZ), 58
Genzyme Corporation (GENZ), 58
Genzyme Transgenics, 41
Gilead Sciences, 32
Gilead Sciences
Inc., 37
Global Health Sciences Fund, 53
Glucocerebrocidase, 42
Glucocorticoids, 20
Glycosylation, 40
GM-CSF, 23, 31
68
GOALS, 2
Goats, 40, 41
Gp120, 16, 17, 18
Gp120 vaccine, 17
Gp160, 16, 17, 18, 38
Gp160-vaccinia, 18
Graft rejection, 19, 29
Grafts, 19, 29
Gram negative bacteria, 48
Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, 31
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, 31
Granulomatous, 3
Greenwich Pharmaceuticals
Inc. (GRPI), 58
Greenwich Pharmaceuticals Inc. (GRPI), 58
Growth factor receptors, 27
Growth hormone, 3
Hantavirus, 12
Healthcare Reform, 50
Healthcare reforms, 50
Hematopoietc stem cells, 30
Hematopoietic stem cells, 21, 30
Hemoglobin, 33
HER-2, 3
Herbicide, 43
Herpes Simplex Virus, 25
Herpes virus, 37, 42
Herpes viruses, 32, 33, 37
Heterologous antisera, 13
HGP30, 16, 17
HIV, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 34, 36, 37, 38, 41
HIVIG, 13
Hoffman-LaRoche, 11
HSV-tk, 25
HTLV I, 37
Human ciliary neurotrophic factor, 6
Human genome, 12
Human immunodeficiency virus, 15
Humanized antibodies, 14, 15
Humoral immune responses, 16
Humoral immunity, 18
Hydrocarbons, 47
HyperGam + CF, 13
Hyperimmune globulin, 13
Hypotension, 49
IBA, 4
IDEC Pharmaceuticals, 15
Idiotype, 14, 41
IFN-á1b, 23
IgE, 21
IGF, 20
IGF-1, 3
IL 1, 49
IL 1ra, 49
IL 2, 20, 21, 22, 42
IL 2 receptor, 19
69
IL 3, 23
IL 4, 21
Illness, 48
Immune globulin, 13
Immune memory, 23, 39
Immune Response Corporation, 15, 58
Immune Response Corporation (IMNR), 58
Immune responses, 19
Immune suppression, 23, 39
Immune system, 39
Immunex, 31, 53, 58
Immunex (IMNX), 58
Immuno AG, 17
Immunogen, 15, 18
ImmunoLogic Pharmaceutical Corp., 18
Immunology, 15
Immunotherapy, 27, 29
In Utero, 13
In vitro, 28
Index options, 4
Industrial Biotechnology Association, 4
Infants, 13
INFORMATION, 51
Innovir Laboratories, 34
Insect cell lines, 40
Insecticides, 45
Insulin, 3, 40
Insulin growth factor-1, 3
Integrate, 36
Intellectual Law Association, 5
Interferon-ç, 22
Interferons, 20
Interleukin 1, 20, 49
Interleukin 10, 22
Interleukin 12, 22
Interleukin 13, 22
Interleukin 2, 20, 22
Interleukin 3, 21
Interleukin 4, 21
Interleukin 5, 21
Interleukins, 20
Intracellular receptors, 28
Introns, 34
Investing, 51, 53
Investment funds, 53
Ischemic, 39
Ischemic heart injury, 23
Ischemic injury, 25
Isis, 32, 37
Japan Research Development Corp., 46
Kidney cancer, 21
Kirin Brewery, 42
Knight-Ridder, 52
Knock-out mice, 51
Knowledge Index, 52
70
Lactoferrin, 40
LAI, 17
LAK, 20
Leaner meat, 44
Lederle Oncology Corporation, 53
Legumes, 43, 44
Leukemia, 28
Leukoplakias, 37
Lexis, 52
LFA 1, 19
Ligand Pharmaceuticals, 28
Ligands, 28
Liposome Co. Inc. (LIPO), 58
Liposome Company
Inc. (LIPO), 58
Livestock, 44
Lou Gehrig's disease, 6, 23, 25
Luciferase, 44
Lyme disease, 18
Lymphocytes, 13, 27
Lymphokine activated killer, 20
Lymphoma, 31
Lymphomas, 14, 37, 41
Lymphotoxin, 22
Magnetic resonance imaging, 24
Malignancies, 28
Mammalian, 16, 17
Managed care networks, 48
MARINE, 45
Marsupial, 45
Maturation, 38
Maturation and release, 36
MBP, 24
Mead Data Central, 52
Medi488, 13
Medical imaging, 15
Medical Technology Stock Letter, 51
MedImmune, 13, 18
Melanomas, 21
Merck, 37
Merck Research Laboratories, 27
Michigan State University, 44, 47
Microbes, 44, 47
MicroGeneSys, 17
Microgram, 41
Micromolar, 28
Microprobe, 32
Miescher Institute, 44
Milk, 40, 41
Mirologix Biotech
Inc., 46
MN, 17
Molecular surgery, 25
Monoclonal, 13
Monoclonal antibodies, 13, 14, 15, 48
Monoclonal antibody, 13, 30
Monsanto, 44
71
MRI, 24
MRNA, 32, 34
MS, 14, 19, 23, 24, 41
Mucosal immunity, 18
Multi-CSF, 21
Multikine, 23
Multiple drug resistance, 27
Multiple sclerosis, 23
Muscle, 44
Mutate, 17
Mutation, 28
Myelin basic protein, 24
Myeloma, 13
N-acetyl-cysteine, 38
National Academy of Science, 51
National biotechnology center, 46
National Institutes of Health, 6, 21
National Science Foundation, 50
National Wildlife Federation, 46
Neozyme II, 13
Nerve growth factor, 25
Nervous system, 1
Neupogen, 31
Neuroleukin, 20
Neurological, 24
Neurological defects, 25
Neuron, 25
Neurons, 25, 26
Neutralizing antibodies, 16, 28
Newsletters, 51
Nexis, 52
NGF, 20, 25
NIH, 6, 50
Nitrogen fixation, 44
Nitrogen fixing, 44
Nodules, 44
Non-Hodgkin, 31
Non-legume, 44
North American Biologicals
Inc., 13
Novelty, 5
NSF, 50
Nucleotide, 32
Numbats, 45
O2, 46
Office of Technology Assessment, 50
Oligonucleotides, 11, 32, 39
Oncogene, 28, 30, 32, 39
Oncogene Science, 28
Oncogene Sciences, 11, 12, 23, 33, 39, 40, 53
Oncogene Sciences
Inc., 40
Oncogene specific transcription, 33
Oncogenes, 27, 30
Oncomouse, 5
Oncoproteins, 14
72
Onyx Pharmaceuticals, 29
Oral mucositis, 31, 40
Oral tolerance, 24
Organelle, 38
Organisms, 40
Ornamental flowers, 43
Ornamental plants, 44
Orphan drug, 5
Orphan drug patent, 42
Orphan drugs, 4
Osmosis, 42
Ovarian, 31
P-glycoprotein, 27
P105, 28
P17, 16
P53, 26, 28, 29
Packaging, 36
Papilloma virus, 32, 37
Papilloma viruses, 37
Parasite, 22
Parasitic wasps, 45
Parvovirus, 18
Patent infringements, 4
Patenting process, 4
Pathogens, 13
PCR, 11, 12
PEG, 42
PEGnology, 42
Penetration, 36
Penicillin, 36
Peptides, 17, 25
Peripheral nerve, 25
Perkin Elmer, 11
Perkin-Elmer, 12
Pesticide, 43
Pfizer
Inc., 40
PGMs, 43, 47
Phamaceuticals, 44
Pharmaceutical, 40, 50
Pharmaceutical firms, 50
Pharmaceutical industry, 50
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, 4
Pharmaceutical Proteins, 40
Pharmaceuticals, 40
Phase I, 7, 31, 32
Phase II, 7, 18, 25, 26, 31, 37, 49
Phase III, 7, 49
Photosynthesis, 46
Pigment, 32
Pigs, 40
Placebo, 26, 49
Plant, 43
Plant genetic materials, 43, 47
Plant viruses, 43
Plants, 41, 42, 44
PMA, 4, 50
73
Political climate, 49, 50
Pollutants, 46
Polyclonal, 13
Polyclonal antibodies, 13
Polyclonal antibody, 13
Polyethylene glycol, 42
Polymerase chain reaction, 11
Portfolio, 53
Post-translational, 28, 40
Potato seedlings, 43
Power of a test, 8
Pre-clinical, 7
Pregnant, 13, 17
President Clinton's health care reform, 50
Price weighted, 5
Prices, 51
Primitive stem cells, 21
Prodigy, 52
Programmed cell death, 25, 38
Promega, 11
Promoter, 33
Prophylaxis, 13, 14
Protease, 38
Protein Design Labs, 15
Proto-oncogenes, 30
Pulomzyme, 3
Quick and Reilly, 53
Radicals, 25
Ragweed, 18
Ras, 14, 30
Ras gene superfamily, 29
Ras oncogene, 27, 28
Ras oncogenes, 32
RBI-23, 49
RBP, 28
Receptors, 28
Recombinant DNA method, 43
Recombinant protein, 18, 40
Recombinant proteins, 40
Recombinant vaccine, 18
Red-mouth disease, 46
Regeneron, 6, 25, 26
REGISTRATION, 63
Rejection, 14, 19, 29
Relapsing-remitting MS, 24
Renal cancer, 21
Renibacterium salmonianrum, 46
Replacement cell therapy, 30
Replicate, 36
Replication, 36
Replication and/or latency, 36
Repligen, 17
Respiratory syncitia virus, 13
Retinoblastoma protein, 28
Retinoic acid, 38
Retroviral vectors, 42
74
Retrovirus, 21, 42
Retroviruses, 25, 31, 36, 42
Revenues, 50
Reverse transcriptase, 36
Rhematoid arthritis, 14, 41
Rheumatoid arthritis, 19
Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals, 34, 43
Ripening, 43
Risk models, 8
RNA, 34
RNA viruses, 36
RNAase-P, 34
Sargramostim, 31
SCA(TM), 41
SCD4, 36, 42
SCF, 20, 23, 31
SCID, 42
Scios Nova
Inc. (SCIO), 58
Scotgen Biopharmaceuticals, 15
Scripps Research Institute, 43
Second generation" chemistry, 32
Second messengers, 27
SELECTED READING, 54, 55, 56
Selectide, 10
Sepsis, 22, 49
Septic shock, 14, 20, 22, 48, 49
Seragen, 14, 19, 41
Severe combined immunodeficiency, 42
SF-2 strain, 17
SH2, 27
SH3, 27
SHAREWARE, 62
Sheep, 40
Sickle cell anemia, 33
Signal transduction, 19, 29
Single Chain Antigen Binding, 41
SIRS, 8
SIV, 18
Skin, 39
Skin integrity, 39
Small molecule therapeutics, 29
SmartScans, 52
Soluble CD4, 36, 42
Soluble receptors, 28
Somatix, 39
Spear Securities, 53
Spliced, 34
Spliceosomes, 34
Splicing, 34, 43
Squalamine, 11
Stanford, 6
State University of New York, 32
Statistical methods, 8
Stem cell, 31
Stem cell factor, 20, 23, 30
Stem cells, 23, 30
75
Stimulon with QS-21, 17
Stock index, 50
Stock quotes, 52
Stratagene, 10
Streptomycin, 36
Sturza's Medical Investment Newsletter, 51
Superoxide dismutase, 25, 38
Suppressor T cells, 24
Surgery, 48
Synergen, 6, 26, 49, 51, 53
Synergen
Inc. (SYGN), 58
Synergen (SYGN), 58
Syntex, 26
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome, 8
á-interferon, 23, 24
á-thalassemia, 33
T cell, 19, 21, 24, 29
T cell growth factor, 21
T cell receptors (TCR), 29
T cell subpopulations, 21
T cells, 16, 19, 21, 24, 29, 36, 38
Taxol, 10, 31
TGF-á, 20
TGF-á1, 3, 23, 39, 40
TGF-á2, 23, 39, 40
TGF-á3, 23, 31, 39, 40
TGF-ás, 22, 23, 39, 40
TGF-à, 20
The Chartist, 51
The Orphan Drug Act, 7
Therapy, 50
Thiotepa, 31
Thymidine kinase gene, 25
TILS, 21, 22
TNF, 22, 39, 49
TNF-á, 20, 22
TNF-à, 20, 22
Tobacco, 44
Tobacco plant, 43
Tomato ripening, 43
Tomatoes, 32, 43
Toxin-conjugated antibodies, 24
Toxins, 13
Transcription, 27, 32, 33, 37, 38
Transcription factor, 19, 28
Transcription factors, 28
Transcription inhibitor, 33
Transcription inhibitors, 33
Transdermal drug delivery, 42
Transfect, 25
Transfected into plants, 44
Transfecting, 21
Transfection, 21, 22, 38, 42
Transfections, 22
Transformation, 28
76
Transforming growth factor-á-1, 3
Transforming growth factor-ás, 23, 39
Transgenes, 43, 46
Transgenic, 15, 40, 41, 44, 51
Transgenic cattle, 44
Transgenic fish, 46
Transgenic plant, 43
Translation, 32, 34
Translocations, 28
Transplacental, 33
Transplacental transfer, 17
Transplant, 19
Transplantation, 18
Transplantation immunology, 18
Transplants, 39
Trauma, 48
Triplex formation, 32
Tularik
Inc, 33
Inc., 33
Tumor, 27, 41
Tumor cell, 21, 27
Tumor immunity, 22
Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, 21
Tumor necrosis factor, 3, 14, 39
Tumor necrosis factors, 22
Tumor regression, 25
Tumor specific antigens, 30
Tumor suppressor, 29
Tumor suppressor genes, 28
Tumor-specific antigens, 29
Tumors, 19, 21, 29
Tyrosine kinase, 27
Tyrosine kinases, 27
U-90
152, 37
U.S. government, 50
Uncoating, 36
United States Biochemical Corp, 34
United States Orphan Drug Act, 7
Univ. of Calif.
Berkeley, 33
Univax Biologicals
Inc., 13
V3 region, 17
Vaccination, 21
Vaccine, 15, 16, 17, 18
Vaccines, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 30, 36, 41
Vaccinia vectors, 18
Vaginitis, 32
VALUE-LINE, 61
VaxSyn, 17
Vectors, 18
Venture capital, 29
Vermin, 45
Vertex
77
Inc., 33
VESTOR, 61
Vibrio, 46
Vibrosis, 46
Viral, 38
Viral enhancer, 33
Viral Technologies
Inc., 16
Viral vector, 41
Virion, 38
Virology, 35
Virus, 13, 16, 18, 32, 36, 37, 38, 41
Virus-infected, 19, 29
Viruses, 15, 35, 37, 38
Vitamin A, 38
Vitamin C, 38
Vitamin E, 38
Vitamins C, 26
Whole virus, 15
Winners, 53
World Intellectual Property Organization, 6
Wound healing, 23, 31, 39, 40
Xoma, 48, 49
Xoma (XOMA), 58
Xoma Corporation (XOMA), 58
Yersinia ruckeri, 46
Zalcitabine, 37
Zidovudine, 37
à-amylase, 44
à-interferon, 44
ç-Interferon, 3
78
UPGRADE CHANGES.........................................#
CHANGES IN UPGRADE
Release 1.1
Clarifications to AIDS vaccines and minor corrections
Release 1.15
Minor additions and clarifications
Headins for clarifications
Release 1.3
Interleukins and Cytokines added
Reference for antibody conjugate treatment
Clarification of blood-brain barrier drugs
Other minor additions and clarifications
Release 1.4
Table of Contents and an Index was added
Agriculture and biomedicine additions
Minor corrections and clarifications
Release 1.45
Clarification of BIO merger (ABC+IBA)
Agriculture additions
Immunotherapy additions
Release 1.5
Marine Biotechnology added
phase II results of Regeneron's CNTF
AIDS vaccine additions
Release 1.55
Wound healing section added
TGF additions
Transcription enhancing drugs - fetal hemoglobin
minor additions
Release 1.6
Virology Additions, gene therpy
Cell cycle company additions
Biodiversity treaty additions
minor additions and clarifications
Release 1.61
Regeneron phase II result clarification
Antisense patent additions
Release 1.62
Biodiversity treaty ratified
New MS therapies.
Other minor additions and clarifications
Release 1.63
79
Centoxin and E5 clarification
Failure of Soluble IL 1 receptor in septic shock
Release 1.65
Cephalon addition to NGF description
AIDS vaccine additions
Splicing drugs
Autoimmune disease additions
Agriculture additions
Release 1.7
HIVIG of North American Biologicals for HIV-infected pregnant
Women
Interleukin 12 and AIDS Therapy
Somatix and artificial blood
Other minor corrections and clarifications
80
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