Industry News
Industry cries foul over ACCC chicken labelling ruling
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC), has dismayed Australia's agbiotech community by ruling that chickens fed genetically modified grain cannot be labelled GM-free. [ + ]
Industry cries foul over ACCC labelling decision
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC), has dismayed Australia's agbiotech community by ruling that chickens fed genetically modified grain cannot be labelled "GM-free". [ + ]
Cryptome to collaborate with IMB
Cryptome (ASX: CRP) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Molecular Bioscience (IMB) to collaborate on the identification of cardiovascular therapeutics. [ + ]
Eqitx to raise $1.8 million
Melbourne-based biotech managed investment group EQiTX (ASX: EQX) will ask shareholders to approve a AUD$1.8 million capital raising to provide working capital for its two projects ZingoTX and VacTX. [ + ]
Jamming bacteria signals stops cholera
A treatment for the age-old scourge of cholera and perhaps a whole new type of antibiotic medicine may emerge from chemicals discovered in an Australian seaweed, new research suggests.
[ + ]Peptech to pay shareholders dividend after patent win
Peptech (ASX:PTD) is begrudgingly sharing the booty from its recent legal win, announcing today it would 'reward' shareholders with a dividend of 8 cents per share. [ + ]
Cellestis gets FDA approval, raises $11m
Australian immunodiagnostics company Cellestis (ASX:CST) has received approval from the FDA for its second generation QuantiFERON-TB Gold tuberculosis diagnostic test. [ + ]
Acrux sees opportunity in competitor's FDA hiccup
Acrux (ASX:ACR) CEO Igor Gonda says the failure of Proctor and Gamble (P&G) to gain approval from an FDA advisory panel for its testosterone patch to treat low libido in surgically menopausal women presents a good opportunity for Acrux and its US development partner Vivus to catch up. [ + ]
Meditech begins second stage of Phase II
Meditech Research (ASX:MTR) has commenced the second stage of its Phase II trial of HyCAMP, its proprietary formulation of chemotherapeutic drug irinotecan in combination with hyaluronic acid. [ + ]
QUT find may lead to schizophrenia prescription revamp
Queensland researchers have made a discovery that could transform the way psychiatrists prescribe anti-psychotic drugs for schizophrenia -- and possibly, for other neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression. [ + ]
Nelson appoints new science advisor
Federal education, training and science minister Brendan Nelson has named Dr Jade Sharples as his new science advisor. [ + ]
Proteome Systems chairman sets out company's new course
Proteome Systems (ASX:PXL), once the great hope of the Australian biotech sector, has set a new course towards drug discovery and diagnostics, and away from its traditional identity as an instrument manufacturer -- and is considering selling sections of its business, as well as buying into a drug discovery play, as it changes focus. [ + ]
New head named for QBF
Neill Colledge, the senior portfolio manager and head of research for domestic equities at Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), has replaced Kathryn Radford as CEO of the AUD$100 million Queensland BioCapital Funds (QBF). [ + ]
Benitec to fight patent claims
Brisbane-based gene therapy company Benitec (ASX:BLT) will continue to defend itself against what it today described as "baseless attacks" on its patent position by US company Nucleonics. [ + ]
Regulatory: P&G, GeoPharma, Ilex, Inex
The FDA has said it is unclear whether a testosterone patch for boosting sexual desire in women, being developed by Proctor & Gamble, produced meaningful benefit or was safe over the long term. Reviewers were set to ask an advisory panel if more safety studies are needed before approval of the patch, called Intrinsa, which is being developed with Watson Pharmaceuticals. [ + ]