Cancer Research Team

Techniclone International Corp. said it has formed a joint venture with Cambridge Antibody Technology Ltd. of Britain to develop and market cancer treatments.

The venture, combining technology from both companies, aims to use antibodies, artificially cloned from human genes, to anchor deadly radioisotopes to material inside tumor cells, thereby destroying a tumor from the inside out. The companies hope the technology can be used to treat lung, colon and other tumors.

The venture expects to start clinical tests in the United States and Britain by the end of the year. Lon H. Stone, Techniclone’s chairman and chief executive, said it will be at least four years before the technology can be marketed.