Industry News
Polartechnics in US distribution deal
Sydney-based devices company Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) has signed a heads of agreement with US company Open Systems Imaging (OSI) to market and sell its melanoma detection and monitoring system SolarScan in the US. [ + ]
Ex-Novartis CEO joins Pharmaxis
Newly-listed company Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) has appointed ex-Novartis Australia CEO Gary Phillips as commercial director to look after sales and marketing efforts as the company prepares to complete clinical trials and roll out its first product. [ + ]
AustCancer in gene test partnership
Australian Cancer Technology (ASX:ACU) has partnered with Prof Ursula Kees at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research to develop a diagnostic test able to rapidly screen tumour samples for deleted tumour suppressor genes. [ + ]
New clinical trials lab opens for business
Melbourne clinical trials group Cancer Trials Australia (CTA) opened a new state-of-the-art laboratory on Wednesday, to complement other clinical trials services offered by the group. [ + ]
Local researchers abuzz for bee genome publication
With the honeybee genome about to be completed, work is ramping up in Assoc Prof Ben Oldroyd's laboratory at the University of Sydney to take advantage of the information it offers. [ + ]
Bayer off the hook in NSW canola trial
NSW Agriculture Minister Ian MacDonald has advised Bayer CropScience that it will not have to destroy a trial crop of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant canola near Wagga, despite the discovery of a small number of canola plants in the surrounding buffer zone. [ + ]
Big pharma said to be testing Select's Hep A vaccine
A number of multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies from Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific are evaluating Select Vaccine's rapid diagnostic hepatitis A kit as a forerunner to license negotiations, the company (ASX:SLT) said on Tuesday. [ + ]
Premier in hunt for commercial partner
Premier Bionics (ASX:PBI) is ramping up its efforts to find a commercial partner for its Airway Clear sleep apnoea monitoring device. [ + ]
Progen sells unit to NZ supplier
Progen (ASX:PGL) has sold its life sciences business unit to New Zealand-based Global Science and Technology (GST) for AUD$1.2 million. [ + ]
Epitan: FDA intrigued by tanning drug
Epitan (ASX:EPT) has returned from its pre-IND meeting with the US Food and Drug Administration with a clear idea of what will be required to get approval for US clinical trials, according to CEO Wayne Millen. [ + ]
Biotech veteran calls for tax breaks
Long time biotechnology investor Leon Serry has called on the federal government to implement a 100 per cent tax deduction as an incentive for significant institutional investment into Australian companies running Phase III clinical trials. [ + ]
Spina bifida gene identified in Melbourne study
A breakthrough in the understanding of congenital neural tube defect spina bifida has been made at Royal Melbourne Hospital with the discovery of the responsible gene in the curly-tail mouse model of the disease. [ + ]
Norwood in lucrative deal with US pharma
Norwood Abbey (ASX: NAL) has entered into a lucrative deal with TAP Pharmaceuticals, giving the US-based company an exclusive license to commercialise its immunology intellectual property in the US market. [ + ]
Analysts surprised by Pharmaxis' early drop
Sydney-based pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) listed on the ASX on Monday after successfully raising AUD$25 million in its IPO last month. [ + ]
Arthron arthritis candidate a stayer
Melbourne biotechnology company Prima Biomed (ASX:PRR) is chuffed with an intriguing result reported by its subsidiary Arthron from trials of its experimental rheumatoid arthritis drugs in mice. [ + ]