Abstract: A method for making a population of cells that are highly sensitive to clostridial neurotoxin, the method comprising: (a) contacting recombinant cells that express an indicator protein with clostridial neurotoxin; and (b) following such contact, selecting the cells that exhibit cleavage of the indicator protein. A cell from the population produced using the aforementioned method. An assay for determining the activity of a modified or recombinant neurotoxin comprising contacting such a cell with the modified or recombinant neurotoxin under conditions and for a period of time sufficient to allow the protease domain of a wild-type clostridial neurotoxin to cleave the indicator protein in the cell and determining the presence of product resulting from the cleavage of the indicator protein.

Abstract: A cell that has been genetically engineered to be highly sensitive to clostridial neurotoxin, for example, botulinum neurotoxin and tetanus neurotoxin, or modified or recombinant versions thereof. A method for making such a genetically-engineered cell and a method for using such a cell in assaying the activity of modified or recombinant clostridial neurotoxin.

Abstract: This application relates to a method of treating a disease susceptible to treatment with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug by administering to a patient once daily an effective amount of 3-phenyl-4-(4-methylsulfonyl)phenyl)-2-(5H)-furanone.