Healthcare leads rise in European venture capital funding
10 September, 2004 by Staff WritersEuropean venture-capital investment rose 10 per cent in the second quarter of this year over the first quarter to 967.3 million euros, driven by more funding for healthcare, including biopharmaceutical and medical-device companies
Solbec trial patients ask for more drug
09 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerEarly results from Solbec Pharmaceutical's (ASX: SBP) Phase I clinical trial to test the safety and tolerability of its glycoalkaloid-based anti-cancer drug SBP002 in patients with advanced mesothelioma and melanoma have been unexpectedly good, with a number of the patients requesting to continue on the drug after the trial ended.
Cochlear pioneer wins PM's science prize
08 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerThe inventor of the cochlear implant, Prof Graeme Clark, will use the AUD$300,000 cheque from the 2004 Prime Minister's Science Prize he was awarded this week to establish a $6 million professorial chair in medical bionics at his Bionic Ear Institute in Melbourne.
Nucleonics challenges Benitec-CSIRO RNAi patent
08 September, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillPennsylvanian anti-viral therapeutics developer Nucleonics has opened a new front, on Australian soil, in its battle with Brisbane biotech Benitec (ASX:BLT) and Australia’s national research agency, CSIRO, over ownership of key patents for the revolutionary gene-silencing technology called RNA interference (RNAi).
Cattle ID technology awarded
07 September, 2004 by Iain ScottA DNA tag for livestock -- a joint venture development between Brisbane biotechnology company Genetic Solutions and livestock management company Allflex -- has won recognition at the 2004 Premier of Queensland Smart Awards.
GroPep outlines commitment to R&D
07 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerTwo years ago, GroPep (ASX:GRO) was in trouble, badly burned and without a CEO after an ill-advised acquisition of Biotech Australia. Now, it looks like a different company -- profitable, and turning its attention towards its biopharmaceutical development projects after a successful turn-around in its fortunes.
Call for implant tracking system
07 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerThe Therapeutic Goods Administration has heard renewed calls for a national system for tracking the safety of critical implants and devices.
In brief: BresaGen, Epitan
06 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerThe company created by the merger between BresaGen's US-based stem cell therapy business and the San Diego based company Cythera has merged again with Novocell, a Californian company commercialising encapsulated cell technology for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases.
Biosignal to expand furanone applications
06 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerBiosignal (ASX:BOS) will test its anti-bacterial compounds for activity against several species of oral bacteria, in a study that could open up a previously unexplored market niche for the company in the oral health sector.
Sunshine Heart to raise $15m in IPO
03 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerSunshine Heart is preparing to float on the ASX, launching a AUD$15 million IPO in Australia and New Zealand last week to raise funding to support its upcoming clinical trials.
LCT gains ground in ASX float
02 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerLiving Cell Technologies (ASX: LCT) gained 25 per cent on its issue price to close at AUD$0.25 yesterday on its first day of trading on the ASX.
Queensland govt claims a share of bioprospecting
02 September, 2004 by Renate KrelleThe Queensland parliament has passed legislation which allows the Queensland government to regulate the collection of native biological materials for molecular, biochemical or genetic analysis.
Cryptome receives $1.9m Start grant
02 September, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerCryptome Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CRP) has been awarded an R&D START grant from the Federal government to take its first lead compound, a naturally occurring peptide with anti-coagulant properties, through pre-clinical development and into the clinic for treatment of thrombosis and related cardiovascular conditions.
Emerging therapies to get a class of their own
01 September, 2004 by Renate KrelleOnce upon a time, biological therapies were plant extracts, tinctures and pills. Physicians also had at their disposal a variety of medical devices. But as new technologies have emerged in the last few years the boundaries between these categories have become increasingly blurred and novel therapies such as pancreatic islet transplantation, haemopoietic stem cells and cellular based vaccines have presented themselves for categorisation by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, under a regime which had, perhaps, become a little outmoded.
Bristol-Meyers Squibb warms to Cryosite
01 September, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillMultinational pharma Bristol-Myers Squibb has engaged Sydney-based cryogenic-storage company Cryosite (ASX:CTE) to manage its clinical trial supply logistics in Australia and New Zealand.
