Industry News
Dr Findlay's DNA casebook provides a Ripper yarn
Could an Australian gene-test company's uniquely sensitive new DNA fingerprinting technique finally finger history's most notorious serial murderer, London's Jack the Ripper? [ + ]
Tissue Therapies hopes new model can eliminate need for animal tests
If beauty is skin deep, the latest wrinkle from Brisbane biotech Tissue Therapies (ASX:TIS) should hold deep allure for cosmetics companies -- the company's researchers have developed a live-skin model with the same structure and properties as human skin. [ + ]
Portland Orthopaedics to raise up to $5 million, list on ASX
Hip replacement specialist Portland Orthopaedics has joined the growing list of companies who have lodged a prospectus to list on the ASX before Christmas. [ + ]
Vale Jamie Callachor
The NSW biotech community has been saddened by the loss of Jamie Callachor, who passed away on November 2. [ + ]
Sunshine Heart gets thumbs-up for Australian pilot study
Sunshine Heart (ASX:SHC) has received ethics committee approval to conduct implantations of its C-Pulse device in Australia at Southern Health Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne. [ + ]
Rockeby shares soar after bird flu test deal
Shares in Rockeby Biomed (ASX:RBY) quadrupled in value today after the company announced it has signed a deal with Thailand-based Pacific Biotech for the exclusive marketing and distribution rights in Europe, the Asia-Pacific and South Africa to two tests for avian flu. [ + ]
Epitan receives marketing approval for Zindaclin
Epitan (ASX:EPT, ADR:EPTNY, XETRA:UR9) has received approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for the registration of anti-acne treatment Zindaclin. [ + ]
Qld to join synchrotron
The Queensland government and a consortium of Queensland universities will together invest AUD$5 million in the Melbourne-based Australian Synchrotron. [ + ]
BresaGen to make Psiron melanoma therapy
Sydney biotech Psiron (ASX:PSX) will be the first client for rejuvenated Adelaide biotechnology manufacturer BresaGen's new pilot production plant for therapeutics produced in mammalian cell cultures. [ + ]
Acrux terminates Napa licence
Acrux DDS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Melbourne-based Acrux (ASX:ACR), has terminated an exclusive licence agreement it signed in May 2005 with US firm Napa Biosciences. [ + ]
CyGenics acquires 51 per cent of BioCell
Cell therapy company CyGenics (ASX:CYN) has taken a 51 per cent controlling equity interest in cord blood stem cell banking business BioCell. [ + ]
Cytopia picks up $3m grant
Melbourne oncology drug developer Cytopia (ASX:CYT) has been offered a AUD$3 million federal government Commercial Ready grant to expand clinical development of its lead anti-cancer drug CYT997. [ + ]
Method to detect potential bioterrorism agent
A new combination of analytical chemistry and mathematical data analysis techniques allows the rapid identification of the species, strain and infectious phase of the potential biological terrorism agent Coxiella burnetii. The bacterium causes the human disease Q fever, which can cause serious illness and even death.
[ + ]CRO Datapharm to team with e-diary firm
Australian contract research organisation Datapharm has entered into a strategic alliance with Brussels and Cambridge based Symfo, a specialist in electronic diary solutions for patients. [ + ]
Prana pleased with Alzheimer's trial results
Prana Biotech (ASX:PBT, NASDAQ:PRAN) announced today that its candidate PBT2 therapy for Alzheimer's disease has come through a phase I single-dose escalation trial in the Netherlands, with a superior pharmacokinetic profile to its predecessor, clioquinol. [ + ]
