Industry News
Solid Progen looking to bolster pipeline
Brisbane cancer-drug developer Progen Industries (ASX:PGL, NASDAQ:PGLAF) has reported a reduced net loss of AUD$4.8 million for the year to June 30, down from $7.6 million in 2003, after increasing revenues by 8.6 per cent. [ + ]
Solbec wins ethics approval for psoriasis trial
The Royal Adelaide Hospital’s human ethics committee has approved an application by Perth biotech Solbec Pharmaceuticals (ASX:SBP) to conduct a Phase I clinical trial of the company’s lead anti-cancer compound, SBP002, as a potential treatment for the painful skin disorder psoriasis. [ + ]
Impressive ASX debut for Somnomed
Sleep device company Somnomed (ASX: SOM) made an impressive debut on the ASX today, opening 30 per cent above the IPO issue price of AUD$0.30 at $0.40. [ + ]
Antisense reports reduced loss, good cash reserves
Antisense Therapeutics (ASX: ANP) has ended the financial year in great shape, as it plans to move forward on Phase IIa clinical trials following the completion of Phase I safety studies. [ + ]
Living Cell Technologies closes IPO
Living Cell Technologies has closed its IPO after raising AUD$6.36 million from institutional and retail clients of underwriting stockbroker Taylor Collinson. [ + ]
Starpharma reigns in losses
Starpharma Holdings (ASX: SPL) has reported a reduced loss of AUD$5.5 million compared to last year's loss of $7.7 million, despite a slight drop in revenues. [ + ]
Bird flu vaccine on way
CSIRO Livestock Industries has developed an experimental vaccine to protect chickens from the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza (bird flu).
[ + ]CSL triples profit
CSL, the world's largest maker of human plasma products, tripled its annual net profit with the sale of its animal health business and its purchase of Aventis Behring at a discount to asset value. [ + ]
Prana loss rises to $10m, as R&D spend increases
Melbourne brain-disease drug-discovery company Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT, NASDAQ:PRAN) has reported an after-tax loss of $9.9 million in the year to June. [ + ]
J&J warns Remicade may cause blood disorders
Johnson & Johnson has added a new warning to the label for rheumatoid arthritis drug Remicade about blood disorders that sometimes were fatal, US regulators have announced. [ + ]
Metabolic braces itself for a busy year
Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (ASX: MBP) is preparing for a busy year, with the results due in November for its critical Phase IIb clinical trial of obesity drug AOD9604 and the move into formal preclinical development for a second product. [ + ]
Ambri’s SensiDx still on trial
Sydney’s Ambri Technology (ASX:ABI) has announced a net operating loss of $11.4 million for 2004, 35 per cent below last year’s loss of $17.6 million. The company also said earlier this week that its SensiDx ion-channel pregnancy test sensor had yet to meet the full requirements of a commercial viability trial (CVT) in a clinical setting. [ + ]
Serum industry booming, Invitrogen to spend $3m on Aust facility
US life science technologies provider Invitrogen will spend $3 million to expand its cGMP facilities for manufacturing bovine serum-based products and reagents in NSW. [ + ]
Benitec in AIDS collaboration with LA's City of Hope
Brisbane gene-silencing company Benitec (ASX:BLT) and renowned Los Angeles medical research centre City of Hope (COH) have joined forces to develop a genetic bear trap for the AIDS virus, that they hope will prolong the lives of AIDS patients. [ + ]
Chemgenex rings in $5m loss
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CXS) reported an AUD$5.1 million loss for the 2003-2004, with around $2 million of the loss attributable to costs associated with the merger between Australian company AGT Biosciences and US company ChemGenex Therapeutics in late June. [ + ]
