Epitope Dropped From Suits Over Berries

Epitope Inc. announced that plaintiffs are dismissing the company from all lawsuits relating to strawberries sold to the U.S. Agriculture Department by the company’s former San Diego subsidiary, Andrew & Williamson Sales Co. The lawsuits, which named Epitope, based in Beaverton, Ore., and A&W; as defendants, allege injuries resulting from consumption of, or other exposure to, A&W; strawberries. The strawberries, which were sold to the USDA before Epitope’s purchase of A&W;, have been associated with a March outbreak of hepatitis A in Michigan. The disclosure that possibly tainted berries were served in frozen-fruit cups in Los Angeles schools prompted the inoculations of several thousand students and teachers. Epitope shares gained $1.13 to close at $7 on Nasdaq.