Industry News
Prima touts human trials hopes for vaccine tech
Prima Biomed subsidiary PanVax is planning to test its DCtag adjuvant technology with an existing marketed vaccine in human clinical trials, aiming to demonstrate enhanced immunogenicity of the re-engineered vaccine compared to existing formulations. [ + ]
Cancer drug trials lift Progen losses
Research and development costs -- including the expense of continuing clinical trials of its promising anti-cancer drug PI-88 -- have seen Brisbane drug-development company Progen Industries (ASX:PGL, NASDAQ:PGLAF) post a net operating loss of AUD$7.8 million to June 30. [ + ]
Biota reports loss with silver lining
Melbourne-based drug-discovery company Biota Holdings Ltd (ASX:BTA) has reported a AUD$10.3 million loss for the year to June 30, but much of the loss was due to $9.8 million in expenses incurred by its new US subsidiary Biota Inc during its first full year of operation. [ + ]
AGT presents new data on obesity
AGT Biosciences (ASX:AGT) has presented data on a new gene linked to obesity at the International Diabetes Federation Conference in Paris. [ + ]
Antisense launches Phase I MS trials
Antisense Therapeutics has initiated its first Phase I clinical trial for antisense inhibitor ATL1102, which is being trialled as a treatment for multiple sclerosis. [ + ]
Ross River study offers arthritis clues
Hundreds of Australians have endured misery and debilitating arthritic pain in the joints after being infected by mosquito-borne Ross River Virus. The symptoms can last for months, and recovered patients can relapse years later. [ + ]
Meditech results show decreasing losses
Meditech Research (ASX:MRL) has announced its half-year results, reporting a decreased loss of AUD$1.06 million after tax compared to the same period last year. [ + ]
Prima swooped on by Peregrine
Investment bank Peregrine Corporate has upped its stake in Prima BioMed to around 14 per cent on the back of a AUD$7.2 million share placement of 11.62 million ordinary shares. [ + ]
Investors boost Ventracor coffers by $33.5m
Artificial heart company Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has taken advantage of its market popularity to raise AUD$33.75 million in an unexpected placement to institutional and sophisticated investors in Australia, Europe and Asia. [ + ]
AGT soars on gene link news
Shares in AGT Biosciences (ASX:AGT) soared more than 72 per cent to close at AUD$0.62 on Monday after a new study showed one of its licensed target genes was strongly linked to the development of insulin resistance. [ + ]
Compumedics CEO earns entrepreneur award
Compumedics CEO David Burton has received an Entrepreneur of the Year award from global accounting firm Ernst and Young. [ + ]
Gradipore board recruits former Sirtex CEO
Former Sirtex Medical CEO Dr Colin Sutton has joined the board of Gradipore as a non-executive director. [ + ]
Roo genome and other projects off the ground after ARC grants
Prof Jennifer Marshall Graves' long-awaited Kangaroo Genome Project is up and hopping after last week's federal government announcement of funding for six new Australian Research Council Centres. [ + ]
Amrad posts end-of-year profit
In a dramatic turnaround from last year's $14.4 million loss, Amrad (ASX:AML) has posted an inaugural after-tax profit of AUD$7.4 million for the 2002-2003 financial year, which includes $1.2 million operating profit in addition to the one-off profit realised from the sale of Amrad's Richmond property. [ + ]
Metabolic brings in $12m through options
Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MBP) is today heralding a recently finalised exercise of listed options had brought the company AUD$12 million. [ + ]