VIRUS RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC
SC 13G/A, 1998-06-05
BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS, (NO DIAGNOSTIC SUBSTANCES)
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                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC  20549


                                     SCHEDULE 13G
                                  (RULE 13d-102)(b)


               INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
             TO RULES 13d-1(b), (c) AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED
                                  PURSUANT TO 13d-2

                                 (AMENDMENT NO. 1)(1)

                            VIRUS RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC.
                             ----------------------------
                                   (Name of Issuer)

                                     COMMON STOCK
                                     ------------
                            (Title of Class of Securities)

                                     92792 0 108
                                     -----------
                                    (CUSIP Number)


                                     MAY 13, 1998
                                     ------------
               (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

          / /   Rule 13d-1(b)
          /X/   Rule 13d-1(c)
          / /   Rule 13d-1(d)



- -----------------------

(1)  The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

     The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, SEE the
NOTES).

<PAGE>

 CUSIP NO.  92792 0 108                 13G                   Page 2 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSON:
       BIOTECHNOLOGY VALUE FUND, L.P.
       I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                (a) /X/  (b) / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3    SEC USE ONLY
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
            DELAWARE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NUMBER        5  SOLE VOTING POWER
        OF                  0
      SHARES
   BENEFICIALLY     -----------------------------------------------------------
   OWNED BY EACH    6  SHARED VOTING POWER
     REPORTING
      PERSON                197,249
       WITH         -----------------------------------------------------------
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                            0
                    -----------------------------------------------------------
                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                            197,249
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
            197,249
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
       CERTAIN SHARES*                                                       / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
            2.2%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
            PN
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        * SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

<PAGE>

 CUSIP NO.  92792 0 108                 13G                   Page 3 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON:
      BVF PARTNERS L.P.
      I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                               (a) /X/  (b) / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3   SEC USE ONLY
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
           DELAWARE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NUMBER       5   SOLE VOTING POWER
        OF                  0
      SHARES
   BENEFICIALLY    ------------------------------------------------------------
  OWNED BY EACH    6   SHARED VOTING POWER
    REPORTING
      PERSON                415,499
       WITH        ------------------------------------------------------------
                   7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                            0
                   ------------------------------------------------------------
                   8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                            415,499
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
           415,499
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
      CERTAIN SHARES*                                                       / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
           4.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
           PN
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     * SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

<PAGE>

 CUSIP NO.  92792 0 108                 13G                   Page 4 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
      BVF INC.
      I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                              (a) /X/  (b)  / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3   SEC USE ONLY
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
           DELAWARE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NUMBER       5   SOLE VOTING POWER
        OF                  0
      SHARES
  BENEFICIALLY     ------------------------------------------------------------
  OWNED BY EACH    6   SHARED VOTING POWER
    REPORTING
      PERSON                415,499
       WITH        ------------------------------------------------------------
                   7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                            0
                   ------------------------------------------------------------
                   8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                            415,499
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
           415,499
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
      CERTAIN SHARES*                                                       / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
           4.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
           IA, CO
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    * SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

<PAGE>

 CUSIP NO.  92792 0 108                 13G                   Page 5 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITEM 1(a).     NAME OF ISSUER:

               Virus Research Institute Inc. ("VRI")
     
ITEM 1(b).     ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:

               61 Moulton Street
               Cambridge, MA  02139

ITEM 2(a).     NAME OF PERSON FILING:

               This schedule is being filed on behalf of the following persons*:

               (i)     Biotechnology Value Fund, L.P. ("BVF")
               (ii)    BVF Partners L.P.  ("Partners")
               (iii)   BVF Inc. ("BVF Inc.")

          *    Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of an agreement among the persons
               filing (as specified hereinabove) that this Schedule 13G is being
               filed on behalf of each of them.

ITEM 2(b).     ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE:

               The principal business office of the persons comprising the group
filing this Schedule 13G is located at 333 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1600,
Chicago, Illinois  60606.

ITEM 2(c).     CITIZENSHIP:
          
               BVF:                     a Delaware limited partnership
               Partners:                a Delaware limited partnership
               BVF Inc.:                a Delaware corporation

ITEM 2(d).     TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:

               The class of securities beneficially owned by the persons filing
this statement is common stock.

ITEM 2(e).     CUSIP NUMBER:

               92792 0 108

ITEM 3.        IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(c), CHECK THIS
               BOX: /X/

<PAGE>

 CUSIP NO.  92792 0 108                 13G                   Page 6 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITEM 4.   OWNERSHIP:

          The information in items 1 and 5 through 11 on the cover pages (pp. 2
- - 4) on Schedule 13G is hereby incorporated by reference.

ITEM 5.   OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS:

          If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the
date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more
than five percent of the class of securities check the following.  /X/

ITEM 6.   OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON:

          BVF shares voting and dispositive power over the shares of the common
stock it beneficially owns with Partners.  Partners and BVF Inc. share voting
and dispositive power over the shares of the common stock they beneficially own
with, in addition to BVF, certain managed accounts on whose behalf Partners, as
investment manager, purchased such shares.  As of the date hereof, neither BVF
nor any of the managed accounts owns, individually or in the aggregate, more
than 5% of the common stock of VRI.  

ITEM 7.   IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE
          SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY:

          Not applicable.

ITEM 8.   IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF A GROUP:

          Not applicable.

ITEM 9.   NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP:

          Not applicable.

<PAGE>

 CUSIP NO.  92792 0 108                 13G                   Page 7 of 7 Pages
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITEM 10.  CERTIFICATION

          By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for
the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.


          After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Dated:    June 5, 1998

                         BIOTECHNOLOGY VALUE FUND, L.P.

                         By:  BVF Partners L.P., its general partner

                              By:  BVF Inc., its general partner


                                   By:    /s/ Mark N. Lampert           
                                        -----------------------------
                                        Mark N. Lampert
                                        President

                         BVF PARTNERS L.P.

                         By:  BVF Inc., its general partner


                              By:    /s/ Mark N. Lampert            
                                   -----------------------------
                                   Mark N. Lampert
                                   President

                         BVF INC.


                         By:    /s/ Mark N. Lampert        
                              ------------------------
                              Mark N. Lampert
                              President

<PAGE>

                                      EXHIBIT A

                           AGREEMENT REGARDING JOINT FILING


     The undersigned, Biotechnology Value Fund, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership, and BVF Partners L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and BVF
Inc., a Delaware corporation, hereby agree and acknowledge that the information
required by Amendment 1 to Schedule 13G, to which this Agreement is attached as
an exhibit, is filed on behalf of each of them.  The undersigned further agree
that any amendments or supplements thereto shall also be filed on behalf of each
of them.

Dated: June 5, 1998

                         BIOTECHNOLOGY VALUE FUND, L.P.

                         By:  BVF Partners L.P., its general partner

                              By:  BVF Inc., its general partner


                                   By:    /s/ Mark N. Lampert           
                                        -----------------------------
                                        Mark N. Lampert
                                        President

                         BVF PARTNERS L.P.

                         By:  BVF Inc., its general partner


                              By:    /s/ Mark N. Lampert            
                                   -----------------------------
                                   Mark N. Lampert
                                   President

                         BVF INC.


                         By:    /s/ Mark N. Lampert        
                              ------------------------
                              Mark N. Lampert
                              President


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