Artificial Genes

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Questions also remain about the miracle drug interferon. Genentech and Biogen of Switzerland have each developed a multipurpose form of the drug that is now being tested on humans and could be on the market by late 1984. So far, interferon is showing good results against a variety of noncancerous tumors but less promise against cancer. Says Biogen Chairman Dr. Walter Gilbert, a Nobel prizewinner: "The industry has proved it can make these drugs in commercial amounts. Whether they are useful against diseases like cancer and herpes, or even the common cold, depends on these medical tests."

Still, gene splicing shows promise of living up to most of the extravagant claims made by its supporters, who expect it to reap sales of $25 billion by the year 2000. One of the most encouraging signs is the quick action by the FDA, which licensed Humulin after just five months of testing, one of the quickest approvals in the agency's history. Genentech President Robert Swanson said last week that his company expects to market a number of other new products in the next few years, including an agent that dissolves blood clots and could be useful in treating heart patients, and a human growth hormone that has successfully been tested for more than a year and could be available within twelve months to treat children afflicted with dwarfism.