Industry News
Qiagen to acquire stake in Alacris
Qiagen has acquired a strategic stake in Alacris Theranostics GmbH, a German start-up company using novel technologies to develop individualised cancer treatment strategies based on a patient’s genomic profile. The company has also acquired an exclusive option to access all biomarkers emerging from this discovery program.
[ + ]Floods shut down University of Queensland
The University of Queensland campus at St Lucia has been hit by the once in a century flood. [ + ]
Mesoblast sees positive interim results from heart stem cell trial
Mesoblast and its US partner Cephalon have announced promising interim results showing its stem cell therapy, Revascor, aids in the recovery of patients with congestive heart failure. [ + ]
Sigma-Aldrich acquires Cerilliant
Sigma-Aldrich has acquired all outstanding shares of Cerilliant of Round Rock, Texas to strengthen the company’s analytical chemistry product portfolio and to continue to deliver on its strategic growth plans.
[ + ]Australia and India become partners in scientific discovery
Australian and Indian researchers are teaming up to pursue new ideas, from non-invasive tools for detecting cancer to better techniques for monitoring the health of our oceans.
[ + ]Feature: Immune paradox
Why is it that some HIV patients treated with antiretrovirals end up suffering from a new immunopathology? Martyn French is trying to solve this puzzling conundrum. [ + ]
Researchers find genetic clues to impulsive behaviour
A global research team has uncovered a genetic mutation which appears to be responsible for impulsive behaviour. [ + ]
Dairy-derived acids shown to ward off Type 2 diabetes
Researchers at Harvard University have published a study showing that a group of fatty acids called trans-palmitoleate appears to be connected with decreased risk of Type 2 Diabetes. [ + ]
Thermo Fisher Scientific acquires laboratory water purification system provider
Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced that it has completed the acquisition of TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme GmbH, a European provider of laboratory water purification systems. Based in Niederelbert, Germany, TKA has nearly 60 employees and had 2009 full year revenue of AU$14 million.
[ + ]LCT expands NZ trial of Diabecell to gather crucial dose-related data
Australian xenotransplantation pioneers Living Cell Technologies announced today that the New Zealand minister of health has approved the expansion of the company’s clinical trial of Diabecell, a porcine-based implant designed to treat Type 1 diabetes. [ + ]
Phylogica signs peptide vaccines deal with Pfizer
Perth drug developer Phylogica has signed a licensing and collaboration agreement with Pfizer which will see the two companies work together to develop novel peptide-based vaccines. [ + ]
NHMRC fellowship recognises contribution of Emeritus Professor Frank Fenner AC CMG MBE
The enormous achievements of Emeritus Professor Frank Fenner will be commemorated by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) fellowship in honour of the pioneering researcher.
[ + ]New ways to access RAFT technology
The developers of Reversible Addition Fragmentation-chain Transfer (RAFT) technology, CSIRO and DuPont, have enhanced their technology transfer and licensing program to enable companies to more easily access the technology.
[ + ]Feature: Manufacturing monoclonal antibodies
The journey to market for biological products can be a complex and frustrating process. A key challenge in this process is producing or obtaining the relevant compounds in quantities large enough to support research studies, pre-clinical studies and/or early-stage clinical trials. [ + ]
Market report: Biotechs up for sixth week in a row
S&P/ASX 200 Heathcare Index closed just 22 points shy of 9000 today after notching up its sixth consecutive week in the black. [ + ]
