Industry News
Tissue therapies posts small loss
Tissue Therapies Limited (ASX:TIS) has released its half-year results, recording a net loss of $445,400, in line with budget expectations. [ + ]
Gribbles JV finds smart ways to tag and track DNA
New joint venture company, id-DNA, formed by Gribbles Molecular Science (GMS) and Sunshine Technologies (ST), has big plans for its latest tracking technology, which will combine DNA fingerprinting with radio frequency identification tags. [ + ]
Experimental use of patents may be re-invented
One of the legal myths of scientific research -- that using a patented invention is OK as long as that use is only experimental not commercial -- might just become reality later this year. [ + ]
Board briefs: Neuren; Peptech; Cytopia
Executives with US experience and contacts in the international equities market remain as popular as ever amongst Australian biotechs, if this week's board appointments are anything to go by. [ + ]
NZ's Protemix recruits US-based CEO
Biotech entrepreneur Garth Cooper has stepped sideways from his role as CEO of New Zealand biotech Protemix, appointing US-based former Eli Lilly executive Larry Ellingson to guide the company through pending Phase III trials of its drug for diabetic heart disease Laszarin. [ + ]
Acrux gets results in libido trial
Acrux (ASX: ACR) has reported positive results from the Phase IIb trial of its testosterone MDTS spray in pre-menopausal women with low libido. [ + ]
Becalmed Pfizer reviewing company operations, plans job cuts
Pfizer, faced with slowing earnings growth, and safety concerns that have hurt demand for its arthritis products, is conducting a comprehensive review of its operations and is considering job cuts. [ + ]
Chemgenex acquires platinum drug
Chemgenex Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CXS) has acquired a novel anti-cancer drug from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. [ + ]
Peplin maintains clinical trial ambitions
Peplin Biotech's (ASX:PEP) half-year results have revealed a AUD$13 million cash balance -- enough, the company says, to complete three Phase II clinical trials of its skin cancer treatment PEP005. [ + ]
AustCancer cheered by survival study
Australian Cancer Technology has reaped quick rewards and impressed shareholders with a drug it licensed in September last year, which has doubled the survival rate of patient with pancreatic cancer in a Phase I/II study conducted in Germany. [ + ]
Solbec completes Phase I psoriasis trial
Solbec Pharmaceuticals (ASX: SBP) has announced successful completion of its Phase I study of its devil's apple-derived drug Coramsine as a treatment for psoriasis. [ + ]
Eat less and live longer?
It's been said that even if calorie restriction doesn't make you live longer it will feel as though you have. A Sydney University researcher argues that it does work and some of the current life-enhancing medications used to treat age-related diseases are imitating the effects of eating fewer calories.
[ + ]FDA gives Ventracor trial conditional approval
Ventracor (ASX: VCR) has received conditional approval from the US FDA for a feasibility study leading up to a full scale trial of its cardiac assist device as a bridge-to-transplant. [ + ]
Australian genomics alliance calls for funds
A group of genomics researchers are pushing the Federal government to provide AUD$250 million in funding for genomics research over the next five years. [ + ]
Chemgenex drug shows stamina
Chemgenex (ASX: CXS) has provided updated results from its Phase I /II clinical study of anti-cancer drug Quinamed at the American Association for Cancer Research's Oncogenomics 2005 conference in the US. [ + ]