Industry News
Biotech boosted in priority plan: CSIRO
CSIRO's biotechnology and life science programs will be strengthened, the organisation claimed yesterday in the launch of its research policies for 2006/07 and beyond. [ + ]
Norwood in Greek eyecare partnership
Norwood Abbey's (ASX:NAL) Norwood Eyecare division is to partner with the University of Crete, in Greece, on R&D in the field of Epi-LASIK refractive surgery and related innovations. [ + ]
Imugene gets OGTR tick for poultry booster
Livestock vaccine developer Imugene's (ASX:IMU) chicken immune-system booster has crossed a major intersection on the road to market by receiving approval from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to trial its genetically modified product outside full laboratory containment. [ + ]
Metabolic says obesity drug has potential in osteoporosis
Metabolic Pharmaceuticals' (ASX:MBP) obesity drug AOD9604 could potentially have a new indication for use in osteoporosis, the company has claimed. [ + ]
Protein improves body's fight
Monash University scientists have discovered how a single protein could dramatically improve the body's ability to fight viruses such as the flu.
[ + ]In brief: Acrux, Proteome Systems, Panbio, Virax
Ross Dobinson has been appointed as Acrux's (ASX:ACR) non-executive chairman, replacing Nuno D'Aquino who is stepping down due to private commitments. D'Aquino will continue as a non-executive director and will chair the board's Human Capital Committee. [ + ]
Giaconda touts results for H. Pylori, Crohn's disease
Sydney-based Giaconda (ASX:GIA) has reported positive results from phase II trials of two of its compounds, Heliconda for Helicobacter pylori infection and Myoconda for Crohn's disease. [ + ]
WA minister cops flak from prestigious journal
International science journal Nature Biotechnology has taken the Western Australian agriculture minister Kim Chance to task for funding a supposedly independent study of the health effects of genetically modified food crops by an Adelaide research institute renowned for its anti-GM activism. [ + ]
Benitec delays HIV/AIDS drug IND filing
Gene therapy company Benitec's (ASX:BLT) shares fell on news that the US FDA investigational new drug (IND) filing for its HIV/AIDS therapeutic will be delayed. [ + ]
Ventracor implants fifth heart device in US
Artificial heart company Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has implanted its fifth VentrAssist left ventricular assist system (LVAS) in the United States. [ + ]
Sirtex posts positive net cash flow
Sydney biomedical company Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) has posted a positive net cash flow for the second quarter of 2005/06 of AUD$1.46 million, an increase of 87 per cent on the previous quarter. [ + ]
New $35m biotech VC fund launched in SA
South Australia's rapidly expanding biotechnology industry now has access to AUD$35 million in venture capital, with Bio Innovation SA securing a deal with one of Australia's most successful superannuation funds, MTAA Super. [ + ]
US deal to test Biosignal compounds in catheters
Sydney-based Biosignal (ASX:BOS) and the Institute for Eye Research have established a collaboration with a US-based medical device company to test Biosignal's anti-biofilm compounds coated on catheters. [ + ]
In brief: Eqitx, Chemeq, NeuroSolutions
Melbourne-based Eqitx (ASX:EQX) has invested a further AUD$500,000 in equity in VacTX, making its total investment in the vaccine developer $2.3 million to date. [ + ]
AtCor Medical boasts sales, revenue growth
AtCor Medical (ASX:ACG), the developer and marketer of SphygmoCor, a system to measure central cardiovascular function non-invasively, today announced sales of $1.73 million for the six months to 31 December 2005, up 40 per cent compared to the previous corresponding period [ + ]