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------------------------------------------------------------------------ Titan's Parkinson's Disease Agent Granted Orphan Drug Status ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WESTPORT, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Spheramine, Titan Pharmaceuticals' experimental agent for Parkinson's disease, has been designated an orphan drug by the FDA. Theracell, Inc., a subsidiary of Titan, is developing Spheramine, which according to a company press release posted on Business Wire" ... consists of microcarriers coated with dopamine-producing natural human cells." Commenting on the regulatory action, Dr. Richard Allen, executive vice president of South San Francisco, California-based Titan said, "... the receipt of Orphan Drug Status for Spheramine is further support of the potential of this product ... Pilot animal studies have previously shown the effectiveness of ... Spheramine ... in reversing disease symptoms in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. "Similar studies have been initiated in non-human primates, and we are on schedule to commence clinical trials in late stage Parkinson's patients in 1998." Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700 Copyright 1997 Reuters Limited. <http://www.reutershealth.com/news/docs/199708/19970819rga.html> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [log in to unmask]