Industry News
Biotech Capital kicks off expansion plans with $3.8m buyback
Shareholders of Biotech Capital (ASX:BTC) have approved a $3.8 million buyback of shares and options held by the Challenger Group. [ + ]
SA, Germany in biotech start-up pact
Bio Innovation South Australia has a special offer for Australian biotech companies eying the lucrative European market: set up in SA, and take a free one-month working holiday to Germany to court potential business and research partners and clients. [ + ]
Gradiflow graduates to validation stage
Life Technologies (formerly Gradipore, ASX: GDP) has announced that it has moved into the second phase of its development agreement with US company Hematech. [ + ]
Biotech startup Epichem opens for business
State of the art medicinal chemistry facilities were opened on the Murdoch University campus by the WA Minister for Development Clive Brown last week for biotech start up Epichem. [ + ]
Ventracor ramps up manufacturing capacity for European trials
Ventracor (ASX:VCR) today announced it has commissioned a new facility for manufacturing its VentrAssist artificial heart device. VCR will expand its current clean-room space, establishing a 260 square meter clean room and manufacturing facility in Sydney’s Chatswood. [ + ]
Cogstate acquires second cognitive test from Pfizer
Melbourne company CogState (ASX: CGS) has acquired a second computer-based cognitive test through an agreement with Pfizer which gives the pharmaceutical company preferred rates to CogState's test and CogState a royalty-free licence to market the new test to other pharmaceutical companies. [ + ]
Prana surges on study validating its metal-ion theory
Shares in Melbourne drug-discovery company Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT, NASDAQ:PRAN) have surged by some 30 per cent after the Journal of Neuroscience published a new study last week that further validates the metal-ion theory of Alzheimer’s developed by Prana founder and Dr Ashley Bush. [ + ]
The risky business of environmental contaminants
Science can save industry tens of millions of dollars by preventing pollution and directing resources to areas that need it most, according to CSIRO.
[ + ]Eiffel moves to Sydney
Melbourne’s loss was Sydney’s gain today, when drug re-engineering company Eiffel Technologies (ASX:EIF) announced it would be upping stakes and moving its head office to Sydney’s biotechnology neighbourhood of North Ryde, adjoining its new semi-commercial production facility. [ + ]
Smile, baby -- those teeth are lifesavers
In future, the tooth fairy may leave children something more than a silver coin in a glass of water, in exchange for their lost milk teeth. Researchers at the Hanson Institute in Adelaide believe pluripotent stem cells from those deciduous teeth could help sustain their owners' dental, skeletal, neural and cardiovascular health well into the autumn of their lives. [ + ]
The money's waiting for good biotech projects: VCs
Both public and private equity is out there for quality biotechnology ventures, say venture capitalists, and new initiatives and funds will only increase that. [ + ]
SciVentures, Griffith team up on $1.3m start-up funds
SciVentures Investments and Griffith University have teamed up to provide AUD$1.3 million of pre-seed funding to two Griffith University start-ups. [ + ]
Sydney researchers uncover cancer's silent culprit
Two Sydney cancer patients have made medical history this week as the first individuals to be diagnosed with cancer induced by spontaneous silencing of an otherwise normal tumour-suppressor gene. [ + ]
Norwood to back animal conservation research
Melbourne biotech Norwood Abbey (ASX:NAL) is to sponsor a Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development group dedicated to research into the conservation and preservation of Australian animals. [ + ]
GroPep cans ulcer treatment after Phase II
Adelaide biotech GroPep (ASX:GRO) has yanked its potential topical treatment for chronic venous ulcers after inconclusive results from a Phase II clinical trial. [ + ]
