OBJECTIVES: I. Compare survival of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma refractory to immunotherapy treated with AE-941 (Neovastat) versus placebo. II. Compare the time to progression and one-year survival rate of patients treated with this regimen. III. Determine the safety of this regimen in these patients. IV. Compare the overall tumor response rate, duration of response, and quality of life of patients treated with this regimen.