Shaman bets on changing face of AIDS

Some companies targeting opportunistic diseases that strike AIDS patients have witnessed declines in their disease populations following the advent of triple combination therapies. One such condition is AIDS-related diarrhea. Two companies, Galagen Inc. (GGEN, Arden Hills, Minn.) and ImmuCell Corp. (ICCC, Portland, Maine) last year suspended their trials in the condition, citing difficulty enrolling patients. A third company, LXR Biotechnology Inc. (LXR, Richmond, Calif.), never actually started a trial, also because of anticipated difficulty with enrollment.

Despite those setbacks, Shaman Pharmaceuticals Inc. anticipates having no trouble recruiting for a Phase III trial of its Provir small molecule starting this month. The reason, according to SHMN (South San Francisco, Calif.), is that diarrhea is still widespread among AIDS patients - it just has a different cause...