Deaths curtail Upjohn tests
Tests on humans of a drug considered crucial to Upjohn Co.'s future have been suspended because of unexplained deaths among some U.S. patients, the company announced yesterday.
Upjohn, based in Kalamazoo, Mich., said it suspended the clinical trials of the drug Freedox for treatment of head injuries on the recommendation of an independent safety board.
The trials, which were 98 percent under way, showed a higher rate of mortality among patients who took the drug compared with patients who received a sugar pill, or placebo.
Shares of Upjohn fell $1.375, to $30.125, on the New York Stock Exchange.
Bethlehem arbitration award
An arbitrator has awarded about $800,000 to 70 workers at Bethlehem Steel Corp.'s Sparrows Point steel mill in a seven-year dispute over the shifting of work that cut the number of hours worked by some employees. The order, made on Dec. 19, was $300,000 less than a 1989 decision, which was sent back to the arbitrator by the U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
A Bethlehem spokesman said the company has not decided whether to appeal.
McGuirk promotion announced
Ronald C. McGuirk, a senior vice president of the First National Bank of Maryland, has been named corporate secretary of the parent company, First Maryland Bancorp. During a 35-year career at the company, Mr. McGuirk has held various positions, including head of information technologies, marketing, corporate planning and external affairs. Mr. McGuirk is a member of the boards of North Arundel Hospital and Internet Inc. and the advisory board of First Night Annapolis Inc.
Macintosh license set
Power Computing Corp., a start-up company backed by Italy's Olivetti, said yesterday it will make clones of Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh and start selling them this spring.
Power Computing, based in Milpitas, Calif., is the first company to announce an agreement with Apple to license Mac OS, the highly regarded operating system of the Macintosh computer.
After years of keeping its technology to itself, Apple said this fall it would allow other companies to make clones of its computers.
Airline extends fare sale
Southwest Airlines yesterday extended a seven-day advance purchase fare sale on flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport until Jan. 12.
One-way fares from BWI range from $19 to $99. Travel must begin by Jan. 4 and end by March 15. The tickets are nonrefundable.
Also yesterday, Continental Airlines announced a fare sale that offers discounts of up to 40 percent on travel through early spring.
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