CALGENE AIMS TO BROADEN USES OF CANOLAOne of the top 1991 goals for Calgene Inc. of Davis, Calif., is tofield-test a modified oil phenotype in canola, Daniel O. WagsterII, its chief financial officer, told the Hambrecht & QuistConference in Life Sciences in San Francisco this week. A $1billion market could develop for new uses of canola within afew years, he said. The company expects data on in vitromodifications to carbohydrate content of potatoes will bepublished in a few weeks. ...

... TSI Corp. (NASDAQ:TSIN) of Worcester, Mass., formerlyTransgenic Sciences Inc., said it plans to continue an aggressiveacquisition strategy, with two or three companies targeted forpurchase during the next 18 months. ... Viagene Inc. of SanDiego said it plans to file this year its first investigational newdrug application to test its genetically engineered AIDSimmunotherapeutic agent. It was shown to stimulate strongcellular immune responses in animals. Viagene aims tocomplete in the next few weeks a roughly $8 million round ofventure financing. ...

... Dr. Mitch Sayare, president and chief executive officer ofImmunoGen Inc. (NASDAQ: IMGN) of Cambridge, Mass.,reported that its lead product, Oncolysin B, showed littletoxicity in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and acutelymphocytic leukemia during Phase I trials. Phase II/IIIclinicals are expected to start by late February, with a productlicensing Aapplication to be filed by the end of the year. PhaseI trials of Oncolysin B in AIDS patients and kidney transplantpatients should start this quarter, and Phase I/II studies ofOncolysin S for the treatment of small-cell lung cancer beginnext week at the Dana Farber Institute in Boston. The companyplans a financing round this year to supplement its $9 millioncash balance. Sayare said ImmunoGen's burn rate is about$750,000 per month. ...

... Tanox Biosystems Inc. of Houston said that Ciba-Geigy plansto start next month clinical trials of Tanox's neutralizingantibody against the AIDS virus. ... Biomatrix Inc. said it isseeking mezzanine investors and corporate collaborators for itshyaluronic acid products. The company raised $8 million in tworounds in 1987 and 1989. It expects 1991 revenues of $2.5million and an operating loss of $4.1 million, said George A.Oram Jr., Biomatrix president.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.