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Epitope Dropped From Suits Over Berries

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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.

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