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>    TARRYTOWN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 11, 1996–Speaking at the
>Hambrecht & Quist 14th Annual Health Care Conference yesterday in  San
>Francisco, Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, president and chief  executive
>officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN), announced several
>developments, including:

>    o A clinical trial of brain-derived neurotrophic  factor (BDNF) to
>assess its safety and efficacy in  the treatment of peripheral neuropathy
>caused by diabetes will  commence shortly and two additional BDNF clinical
>trials in other  indications are planned for later this year.

>    o A clinical trial of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) to assess its safety  and
>efficacy in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy caused by  diabetes
>will also commence shortly.  

>    Clinical Trials Update  

>    Amgen will shortly also commence conducting a double-blind,
>placebo-controlled clinical trial in England testing the safety and
>tolerability of BDNF in diabetic patients with peripheral  neuropathy.
>That trial will be conducted in one clinical site,  where patients will
>receive one of two doses of BDNF or a placebo. Enrollment of BDNF
>peripheral neuropathy study is expected to be  completed during the first
>half of 1996.

>    In addition, Amgen, on behalf of Amgen-Regeneron Partners, will  soon
>commence a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial  testing the
>safety and tolerability of NT-3 in diabetic patients  with peripheral
>neuropathy.  That study will be conducted in five  clinical sites (four in
>the United States and one in Canada), where  patients will receive one of
>three doses of NT-3 or a placebo.   Enrollment of the NT-3 diabetic
>neuropathy study is also expected to  be completed during the second half
>of 1996.  Subject to further  evaluation of preclinical and clinical data,
>regulatory approval,  and other considerations, Amgen-Regeneron Partners
>is also exploring  the possibility of conducting a clinical study of NT-3
>in patients  who suffer peripheral neuropathy as a result of receiving
>cancer  chemotherapeutic drugs.

>    The purpose of the peripheral neuropathy studies is to further
>establish the safety profile of BDNF and NT-3 in diabetic patients  and
>establish parameters to define and measure efficacy.  There is  currently
>no effective treatment for any peripheral neuropathy,  which afflicts an
>estimated one million people in the United States. Preclinical data
>suggest that BDNF may have clinical utility to  treat motor nerve
>dysfunction, and NT-3 may have clinical utility to  treat sensory and
>autonomic nerve dysfunction, related to the  peripheral neuropathies.

>    It is estimated that approximately 10 percent of diabetics in  the
>United States, or as many as approximately 600,000 people, seek   medical
>help for peripheral neuropathies secondary to diabetes.  In  these
>patients, peripheral neuropathy contributes to sensory loss,  muscle
>weakness, and bowel, bladder, sexual, and gastrointestinal  dysfunction.
>A portion of the patients suffer chronic pain and  unpleasant sensations.
>Neurologic deficits combined with vascular  insufficiency, which is often
>associated with diabetes, promote the  formation of skin ulcers and retard
>wound healing.

>    Also, Amgen is planning two potential additional clinical trials  of
>BDNF in other indications, that could commence in the second half  of
>1996, subject to regulatory and institutional review board  approval.

>    "Amgen and Regeneron are moving forward on the rapid clinical
>development of BDNF and NT-3," said Dr. Schleifer.  "Our initial  clinical
>targets — ALS, diabetic neuropathy, and possibly  neuropathy caused by
>cancer chemotherapy — are medically important.  Drug development and,
>specifically, the development of effective  treatments for neurological
>conditions, presents tremendous  scientific and medical challenges.  Thus,
>while we expect that a  substantial amount of clinical data will be known
>about BDNF and  NT-3 in the later part of 1996, it is impossible to
>predict the  results of these ongoing and the other planned studies."

>    Regeneron is a leader in the application of molecular and cell
>biology to discover novel potential therapeutics for human medical
>conditions.  The company’s technological expertise in protein growth
>factors, their receptors, and their mechanisms of action has been and
>continues to be utilized in the discovery and development of  neurotrophic
>factors for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases,
>peripheral neuropathies, and nerve injury.  More recently,  Regeneron has
>used these technologies to attempt to identify  treatments for diseases
>and conditions outside of the nervous system, such as cancer, muscle
>disease, and angiogenesis (blood vessel  growth).      

>CONTACT:  

>Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tarrytown

>Murray A. Goldberg, 914/345-7492

>or

>Robinson Lerer Sawyer Miller, New York

>Michael Gross, 212/484-7721

>KEYWORD: NEW YORK

>INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT

I am a retired diabetic, Type II on insulin for 20 years.  I did drink about
1 to 2 liters of diet soda pop per day as well as using arificial sweeteners
in coffee and on other foods.  Over the years I lost complete feeling in my
feet and fingers.  My eyesight worsened to the point that I needed a
magnifier as well as reading glasses to read the newspaper.

Then 6 months ago I quit using ALL ARIFICIAL SWEETENERS as an experiment
prompted by things being discussed on the internet.  Within a week I noticed
feeling coming back – the finger prick for the BG test hurt!  Things kept
improving steadily.  I now read withoy glasses and have almost full feeling
in my fingers and feet.  

I have safely resumed using power tools, etc.

My advice to younger scientists is to forget about more chemicals to poison
our systems beyond recovery and to get back to common sense.  Let’s quit
mixing chemicals on our bodies – we don’t know what reactions are going on.

Regards,
Harold, a retired scientist

Annkrgu…@prod.com