The biotech report cards
13 February, 2003 by Iain ScottAs the new year begins, market analysts are sounding the same warnings that they did in 2002 -- that Australian biotechnology companies must consider strategies like mergers and acquisitions and alliances to survive.
Synchrotron interest pulls in would-be users
12 February, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerA Melbourne workshop organised by the Australian Synchrotron Project last week attracted 350 participants, including representatives from synchrotrons all over the world.
Single shareholder to blame for Ambri's pre-Christmas crucifixion
11 February, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerBiosensor company Ambri has learned first-hand the fickle nature of the share market -- a stock slide that saw the company lose almost a third of its value since mid-December, before recovering 22 per cent on Friday, was precipitated by a single shareholder selling off its entire holding in the company.
Position, not salary, key concern for returning expats
11 February, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerGetting a suitably challenging position is a bigger concern to many returning expatriate Australians than salary, attendees heard at the first BioMelbourne Breakfast for this year.
US guidelines boost Cellestis' credibility, marketing push
11 February, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerMelbourne diagnostics company Cellestis has received a major boost with the release of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for its Quantiferon-TB diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB).
Prima teams with law firm to manage patent portfolio
03 February, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerMelbourne-based Prima Biomed has taken the unusual step of forming a strategic alliance with legal firm Blake Dawson Waldron's patent services group to manage its entire patent portfolio, which includes 26 granted patents and 44 patent applications at various stages.
Biotechs left trampled by herd mentality
31 January, 2003 by Pete YoungThe share market's habit of batting listed biotech companies around like ping pong balls can leave senior management shell-shocked. Share prices of companies in the drug development, healthcare, diagnostics and medical devices soar on the updraft of a promising licensing agreement or plunge at the twitch of a regulator's eyebrow.
Victorian AusBiotech branch strengthened
31 January, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerThe Victorian branch of AusBiotech has been given a $AUD96,000 boost by the Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (IIRD), allowing it to appoint a full-time dedicated project officer to coordinate the activities of the state branch.
Want better management? Hire a better board, says recruitment guru
30 January, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerAustralian biotech companies can learn a lot by including external and independent non-executive directors with relevant commercial experience on the board of directors, according to David Collingham, founder of European life sciences recruitment firm Ruston Poole.
Synchrotron now even faster, say planners
30 January, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerAustralia's first synchrotron would be twice as powerful as originally proposed, the Victorian state government announced yesterday.
New instrument for Bio21
28 January, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerMelbourne's Bio21 precinct at the University of Melbourne received a boost today with the announcement that the Victorian State government would provide $AUD5.7 million towards the cost of purchasing an 800-megahertz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer.
Work to begin on LaTrobe plant bioscience facility
28 January, 2003 by Graeme O'NeillWork will begin this year on a $AUD17 million Plant Biosciences Facility at LaTrobe University's Research and Development Park in the northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora.
Long live CRCs: veteran researchers adapt to survive
24 January, 2003 by Pete YoungForget the record $AUD478 million that the Federal Government has just pledged to pump into the Cooperative Research Centre program over the next seven years. The real story is all about who is getting the new funds and what is happening to the senior citizens in the CRC scheme.
Qld steps up east-coast biotech powerhouse campaign
23 January, 2003 by Pete YoungA proposal by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie to join biotechnology forces with Victoria and NSW is receiving a positive response from NSW Premier Bob Carr.
High-flying expat returns to give Monash the commercial edge
20 January, 2003 by Melissa TrudingerRoland Scollay has been an academic scientist, a commercial scientist, has held managerial positions in US biotechnology companies and most recently has been the CEO for a biotechnology start-up in the US. So it's a natural progression for him to return to the academic environment, this time to look for opportunities to commercialise academic research.
