Univax

Small biotech firm grows by acquisitionOne of the state's tiniest biotechnology companies grew dramatically last week when it bought NovaScreen, a subsidiary of Scios Nova Inc.The deal between Adheron Inc. of College Park and Scios Nova of Mountain View, Calif., will give the young biotech company, which had no products and only a few employees, $1.7 million in annual revenues and about 15 new employees. One key element of the deal: a three-year, $4.3 million contract from the National Institute of Mental Health, won last July.

ROCKVILLE -- In the realm of biotechnology companies, Univax Biologics Inc. seems like a sprinter among a pack of joggers.Just two years ago, the company seemed unremarkable. It was one of the dozens of tiny biotech companies in Maryland squeaking by with fewer than 20 employees and visions of turning a scientific discovery into a product.Today, Univax has a cutting-edge science that is taking off. In two years, it has grown to a staff of 110, has five products in clinical trials, raised $44 million in its first public offering and opened a pilot manufacturing plant this summer.

Univax Biologics Inc. of Rockville will collaborate with one o the nation's largest biotechnology companies to develop a preventive therapy for people who may have been exposed to the AIDS virus as well as for those already infected.Genentech Inc., a San Francisco company, chose Univax to develop the therapy because of the company's expertise in treatments based on antibodies.Genentech will give Univax a genetically engineered vaccine now being tested on humans. Univax will innoculate healthy, uninfected volunteers whose bodies are expected to produce antibodies to the AIDS virus.

Despite doubled revenues, this Rockville biotechnology company said yesterday that its loss tripled, to $2.5 million, or 23 cents a share, in the second quarter, which ended June 30, compared with the same period the year before.The company attributed the loss to the growth of its work force from 25 employees to 100 this year andthe cost of adding several new products to its development plans.Three months ended 6/30/92KA.. ... .. .. .. .. .. Revenue .. .. .. Net .. .. .. .. .. Share'92 .. .. .. .. .. ..711,000 .. .. ..(2,546,497)