Industry News
Progen anti-cancer compound earns orphan drug status
Brisbane-based Progen (ASX:PGL) has earned 'orphan drug' status from the US Food and Drug Administration for its much-touted PI-88 compound, for treatment of malignant melanoma. [ + ]
Bye-bye biodollars: ASX code calls for realistic biotech reporting
Technospeak and blue sky 'biodollars' will be frowned upon and plain English encouraged under the Australian Stock Exchange's new biotechnology reporting code. [ + ]
Genetic Solutions finds partner for US, Canadian market
Brisbane biotech Genetic Solutions is set to create a tidal wave in the international beef industry's gene pool, after licensing its GeneStar DNA markers to new US partner Bovigen Solutions. [ + ]
Video consultations to ease stress on frail patients
Monash University's Department of Geriatric Medicine is pioneering a high-tech way of consulting with elderly patients so they do not have to leave their nursing home beds.
[ + ]Meditech chairman, CEO resign at AGM
Biotech veteran Bob Moses, the chairman of Melbourne biotech company Meditech (ASX:MTR), had harsh words yesterday for the shareholders whose lack of support for the re-election of CEO Chris Carter as a director on the board led to both he and Carter resigning their positions. [ + ]
Imugene soars on vaccine trial result
Shares in Sydney animal-health biopharma Imugene Limited (ASX:IMU) soared yesterday on news that animal trials have confirmed the efficacy of the company's new vaccine for controlling one of the international pig industry's most costly diseases. [ + ]
Medica to take over subsidiary Cytopia
Brisbane-based pooled development fund Medica Holdings (ASX:MCA) is committing body and spirit to the drug-discovery race by taking a 100 per cent shareholding in its Melbourne subsidiary Cytopia -- and adopting Cytopia's name. [ + ]
Peptech, Agenix to merge
Sydney-based biotech Peptech (ASX:PTD) and Brisbane-based Agenix (ASX:AGX) have revealed plans to merge, creating one of Australia's largest biotechnology companies with a market capitalisation of AUD$400 million. [ + ]
BIO 2004: Better believe it -- credibility rules
Building your credibility and getting past the introductory meeting are the two goals biotech companies going to BIO should keep in mind, according to US-based biotech communications specialist Doug MacDougall. [ + ]
Big pharma, CRCs can work together: AstraZeneca czar
The thing AstraZeneca finds hardest about its relationship with the Cooperative Research Centre for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases is coping with incompatible timezones. [ + ]
Austin spin-off XenoTrans earns Geron backing
US biotechnology company Geron has taken a 25 per cent equity position in Austin Research Institute spin-off XenoTrans, in return for granting the company a non-exclusive licence to use Geron's nuclear transfer technology to produce transgenic pigs for xenotransplantation, and a share in future revenues. [ + ]
Virax begins prostate cancer vaccine trial
Melbourne immunotherapy developer Virax Holdings (ASX:VHL) has begun a pre-clinical trial of its novel candidate vaccine for late-stage prostate cancer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital Cancer Centre. [ + ]
Prana to raise $27m from US investors
Prana Biotechnology (ASX:PBT) has obtained agreements to raise US$20 million (AUD$27 million) from US institutional and professional investors through the sale of 3 million ADRs at US$5 per ADR, subject to shareholder approval. [ + ]
GroPep posts fourth consecutive positive quarter
Adelaide biopharma GroPep (ASX:GRO) today announced its fourth consecutive quarter of positive operating and net cash flow. [ + ]
CSIRO, Bayer in RNAi deal
International agbiotech company Bayer CropScience has acquired a licence from CSIRO to develop new crops using the patented RNA interference (RNAi) gene-silencing technology developed by CSIRO Plant Industry researchers. [ + ]
