Flu epidemic lifts Biota revenues
27 February, 2004 by Renate KrelleShares in Biota Holdings fell more than 6 per cent yesterday, despite the company's announcement that it had reduced its operating loss by almost half, reporting a loss after tax of $3.1 million as compared to $5.5 million in 2002.
US healthcare workers lag in flu vaccines: study
26 February, 2004 by Maggie FoxHealth officials lecture Americans every year on the importance of getting an influenza vaccine but it seems they are not even able to get a majority of their colleagues to do so.
Florey researchers reveal Huntington's secrets
20 February, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillNeuroscience researchers have found evidence that environmental factors play a major role in accelerating or delaying the onset and progression of the lethal brain disorder Huntington's disease in a mouse model.
Grant to boost Prana's Alzheimer's project
19 February, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillMelbourne drug-development company Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT) will turn up the wick on development of its second-generation drug candidate for Alzheimer's disease PBT-2, after receiving a $1.35 million federal government R&D Start grant.
Lorne Cancer report: call for new trial parameters
17 February, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerA prominent cancer researcher has told the Lorne Cancer Conference that many experimental cancer drugs are being discarded as having no value in prolonging survival in cancer patients, but the problem may lie with the clinical trial process.
Starfish invests in Melbourne stroke spin-off
16 February, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerVC fund Starfish Ventures has made an investment into NeuProtect, a company spun out of the Howard Florey Institute, the University of Melbourne and Neurosciences Victoria to develop novel therapies for stroke and myocardial infarction or heart attack.
Acrux enters US$13m development deal
16 February, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerAcrux subsidiary FemPharm has secured a US$13.3 million deal with Californian company Vivus to develop and commercialise its transdermal spray for female sexual dysfunction and menopause.
Novogen presents phenoxodiol Phase II trial results
10 February, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerPreliminary Phase II trial results of Novogen's anti-cancer drug phenoxodiol have been presented at a US gynaecologic oncology conference, the company (ASX: NRT, Nasdaq: NVGN) said today.
Survival story led to malaria vaccine quest
05 February, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillMalaria is not just an abstraction for Kenyan researcher Lucy Ochola. As an infant, she contracted malaria, and survived. She was lucky -- in the western highlands of her homeland, infant mortality from malaria approaches 30 per cent.
Brain tumour treatment on the cusp of revolution, conference hears
30 January, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerBrain tumours account for only two per cent of cancer deaths but they are the fourth most important type of tumour in terms of life years lost, as they disproportionately affect younger people. But according to Prof Andrew Kaye, at the University of Melbourne, the next decade will see major advances in treatments for brain tumours that could turn around the statistics and extend the lives of sufferers.
Brain loss isn't always disease culprit
30 January, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerNot all forms of dementia are the same, and researchers are starting to learn what distinguishes different forms of neurodegenerative dementias from each other. But one major problem remains -- most of the distinguishing pathological features of the diseases, such as protein accumulation and cell loss, can only be seen post mortem.
Solbec plans psoriasis treatment trial
29 January, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillPerth drug discovery company Solbec Pharmaceuticals (ASX:SBP) has set out plans to trial its promising anti-cancer compound SBP002 as a treatment for the chronic skin disorder psoriasis this year.
Sirtex warms to cancer therapy
28 January, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillResearchers with Sydney meditech company Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) have decided to continue development of a radical new therapy that would destroy liver cancers with focused heat, after its researchers reported encouraging progress in solving technical problems involved in scaling up the technique from animals to humans.
Public to get another say on xenotransplantation
16 January, 2004 by Graeme O'NeillThe National Health and Medical Research Council has kicked off a second round of public comment on its draft guidelines for xenotransplantation research, and will run a series of community consultation meetings in capital cities in February.
Patch vaccines may increase autoimmune disease risk
15 January, 2004 by Melissa TrudingerAustralian researchers have shown in a mouse model that a bacterial toxin used as an immune-stimulating agent in some vaccines may increase the risk of developing autoimmune disease, where the immune system reacts against the body's own proteins.
