Scios Nova Inc. news

SCIO will transfer its Baltimore-based R&D operations to the company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. Of the 83 employess, 20 will remain in Baltimore, 20 will be transferred to Mountain View, and 43 positions will be eliminated. The Baltimore operation was developing several anti-inflammatory projects, including a bradykinin antagonist and a leukocyte-adhesion inhibitor.

SCIO, which said the anti-inflammatory projects still are important to the company, will go back to an earlier stage of research. Spokesperson Kira Bacon said the company "didn't feel it has a strong package of evidence to go into the clinic, and didn't want to invest in clinical trials until it is satisfied with the preclinical package." ...