Industry News
Ethical thumbs-up for Metabolic obesity drug trial
Metabolic Pharmaceuticals has gained ethics approval to begin testing its oral obesity drug in patients. [ + ]
Circadian to invest in memory, brain research
Circadian Technologies will invest almost $450,000 over the next 18 months in two new projects, the development company announced today. [ + ]
Progen scores half-million manufacturing deal
US biotech Lipid Sciences has signed a $500,000 manufacturing pact with Progen Industries, boosting Progen's already-thriving contract drug manufacturing arm. [ + ]
Peptech expects to cash in on Abbott drug approval
A rheumatoid arthritis treatment developed by Sydney biotech Peptech could become the first of its monoclonal antibodies to hit the market, if drug giant Abbott Laboratories wins approval to market the drug Adalimumab in the US and Europe. [ + ]
Qld government moves to shore up R&D framework
Queensland's Cabinet has kicked off a sweeping effort to set in place a long-term R&D framework in place for emerging industries. [ + ]
Vita Life goes after former MD
Vita Life Sciences is seeking recompense from its former managing director over what it says was a costly breach of agreement. [ + ]
Chairman, board members resign from Peptech
The three newest members of the board of Sydney biotech Peptech have resigned, after shareholders threatened to call an extraordinary general meeting to have them removed. [ + ]
Prototype detector could identify anthrax quickly
A prototype handheld detector under development at Sandria National Laboratories in the US can identify the fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) of anthrax in less than five minutes.
[ + ]Nelson appoints science journo as advisor
The Federal Health Minister, Dr Brendan Nelson, has appointed researcher turned science writer Dr Thomas Barlow as his science advisor. [ + ]
Catholics pledge $50K to adult stem cell research
Sydney's Catholic Archbishop, Dr George Pell, has promised to contribute $50,000 toward adult stem cell research, on condition that the NSW and Federal governments commit "significant money" to the research. [ + ]
Adult stem cell heart treatment trialled
Researchers at the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) have injected adult stem cells from the bone marrow of a 74-year-old man into his heart in an attempt to regenerate the blood supply. [ + ]
Prima creates new R&D role
Prima Biomed (ASX:PRR) today announced it had created a new research and development position to support its commercialisation abilities. [ + ]
Baby boomers to benefit from new research centre
Baby boomers will reap the benefits of a new medical research institute opened today at Concord Hospital, in western Sydney. [ + ]
Vic govt decision could spell fate of Amrad board
The fate of Amrad Corporation's beleaguered board could fall in the lap of Victorian Treasurer and Innovation Minister John Brumby. [ + ]
Fear, regulatory black hole block diabetes trials
Stringent guidelines and incomplete regulatory guidelines at home are forcing Australian and New Zealand biotechs offshore to test their novel diabetes treatments. But they are discovering that not everyone wants them. [ + ]
