[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 58982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28949]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Antitrust Division


Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and 
Production Act of 1993--Inter Company Collaboration for Aids Drug 
Development

    Notice is hereby given that, on September 15, 1997, pursuant to 
Section 6(a) of the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 
1993, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), Inter Company 
Collaboration for Aids Drug Development (The Collaboration) filed 
written notifications simultaneously with the Attorney General and the 
Federal Trade Commission. The notifications were filed for the purpose 
of extending the Act's provisions limiting the recovery of antitrust 
plaintiffs to actual damages under specified circumstances.
    As indicated in its previous filings, the Collaboration is intended 
to facilitate more efficient concomitant and or comparative research on 
HIV antiviral compounds through the sharing of scientific information 
among its members, the sharing of compounds to conduct appropriate 
investigations for clinical research, and the coordination of certain 
clinical trials conducted independently by certain of its members. A 
purpose of this filing is to confirm that these activities of the 
Collaboration encompass gene therapy related to the treatment of HIV 
infection and AIDS.
    The Collaboration may also engage in the collection, analysis and 
exchange of research information, including information on statistical 
techniques applicable to AIDS research with other groups or entities 
engaged in research on HIV and AIDS, as well as within the 
Collaboration.
    In addition, the Collaboration may, as an organization, engage in 
scientific and policy discussions with governmental agencies (including 
FDA and NIH). This activity may involve development, exchange and 
analysis of scientific information within the Collaboration, and 
presentation, analysis and discussion by the Collaboration with 
government agencies. Such discussions may include consideration of the 
appropriate surrogate markers for approval of AIDS anti-viral drugs and 
innovative statistical techniques to address issues presented by AIDS 
drug clinical trials. This activity may also involve the development 
and presentation of regulatory positions by the Collaboration to 
governmental agencies.
    Although no changes have been made in the membership of the 
Collaboration, Collaboration member AJI PHARMA USA, Inc. has merged 
with its parent, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.; Collaboration member Triangle 
Pharmaceuticals Inc. has acquired Avid Corporation by merger with a 
subsidiary; and Collaboration member Ciba-Geigy AG has merged with 
Sandoz AG to form Novartis AG. As a part of the merger process, the 
Ciba-Geigy pharmaceutical operations, including its membership in the 
Collaboration, became part of Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis, 
pharmaceutical operating subsidiary. Membership in the Collaboration 
remains open.
    On May 27, 1993, the Collaboration filed its original notification 
pursuant to Section 6(a) of the Act. The Department of Justice 
published a notice in the Federal Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of 
the Act on July 6, 1993 (58 FR 36223). The last notification was filed 
with the Department on August 23, 1996. A notice was published in the 
Federal Register on September 17, 1996 (61 FR 48982).
Constance K. Robinson,
Director of Operations, Antitrust Division.
[FR Doc. 97-28949 Filed 10-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-11-M