HEALTH

French Drug Company Announces Biotech Consortium: Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc. said 14 companies and research groups will explore gene and cell therapy treatments for cancer, heart and circulatory diseases, AIDS, Alzheimer’s and other afflictions. Rhone plans to spend $100 million in each of the next two years, or about 15% of its total research and development budget, on the project, which involves small biotechnology companies, U.S. and French research centers and companies already affiliated with Rhone-Poulenc Rorer. Though biotechnology affiliations are common, this is believed to be the largest.