[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Nobel laureate disputes cancer-cure quote in Times 02:37 p.m May 06, 1998 Eastern By Ransdell Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nobel laureate James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, is disputing a quote attributed to him in The New York Times predicting cancer would be cured within two years by two drugs featured in a Times story. The front-page article in the Sunday Times spurred an explosion of interest in biotech company EntreMed of Rockville, Md., and its two drugs, angiostatin and endostatin, helping boost its shares 500 percent on Monday. The two drugs are naturally occurring proteins that block growth of blood vessels that feed tumors. They were discovered by Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer researcher at Children's Hospital in Boston, and licensed to EntreMed. In the Times article, written by Gina Kolata, Watson is quoted as saying, ``Judah is going to cure cancer in two years.'' The article added that Watson said Folkman would be remembered along with scientists like Charles Darwin as someone who permanently altered civilization. Some Wall Street analysts said the bold statement by Watson, a co-discoverer of the ``double helix'' structure of DNA, was a key factor that inspired the EntreMed rally. Watson, director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in on New York state's Long Island has submitted a letter to the editor of the newspaper challenging the cancer-cure quote, according to laboratory spokesman Wendy Goldstein. Times spokeswoman Lisa Carparelli told Reuters she was unable to immediately comment on Watson's letter but would do so later in the day. EntreMed officials could not be reached for comment. Goldstein provided Reuters a copy of Watson's letter, which she said would be submitted to The New York Times on Wednesday for publication. In the three-paragraph letter dated May 4, Watson states, ''In the May 3 New York Times article, Ms. Kolata reported that I predicted that Judah Folkman would cure cancer in two years. My recollection of the conversation to which she refers, however, is quite different.'' The letter continues, ``What I told Ms. Kolata, at a dinner party six weeks ago, was that endostatin should be in NCI (National Cancer Institute) clinical trials by the end of this year, and that we would know about one year after that whether they (sic) were effective.'' In the letter, Watson noted that the two drugs have not yet been tested in humans. The drugs have only been tested in mice, a point that the medical community and drug industry analysts have underscored in recent days as a reason for caution. Many drugs that work in mice have later failed to have the same beneficial effects in humans, according to industry analysts and scientists. Goldstein said Watson was in California and could not be reached to comment. ``Dr. Watson feels very strongly about setting the record straight that he did not make such a statement. He is contesting that quote primarily because he feels a statement as bold as his coming from him has offered what could very well prove to be false hope to a great many people'' with cancer, Goldstein said. Carl Gordon, a drug analyst for OrbiMed Advisors in New York, said he believed Watson's quote and enthusiastic quotes in the same article about the two drugs by National Cancer Institute director Dr. Richard Klausner were the biggest drivers of EntreMed's rally on Monday. EntreMed's stock jumped from about $12 on Friday to trade in the low $50 range Monday, after briefly hitting $85. It lost $10.125 to $33 in heavy trading Wednesday afternoon on the Nasdaq market. Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. [Reuters News Service] Search News wires National news The Web News Web sites [Image] Click for tips or Advanced search Add Infoseek desktop software to your computer for instant search ability! Infoseek channels Mother's Day Channel * Automotive * Business * Careers * Computer * Education * Entertainment * Good Life * Health * Internet * Kids & Family * News * Personal Finance * Real Estate * Shopping * Sports * Travel * Women's Home | Feedback | Advanced search | Put Infoseek on your site | Add URL | Help | Worldwide Infoseek | About Infoseek | Advertise on Infoseek | Jobs @ Infoseek | Intranet software | Infoseek Instant Messaging | Chat --------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1994-98 Infoseek Corporation. All rights reserved. (142, c) Disclaimer Privacy Policy Best, Terry "Lawyer - one trained to circumvent the law" - The Devil's Dictionary Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues