Industry News
Biotron files SARS therapeutic patent
Researchers at Biotron have filed a patent covering the blocking of specific ion channel activity formed within the E protein of the SARS virus, offering a potentially new treatment for the disease. [ + ]
Private-public R&D interaction 'hit and miss': report
If Australia is to keep up with the rest of the world, it will have to make more of its public research institutes. According to a report jointly compiled by Ernst & Young and RMIT University, Australia's R&D performance needs boosting -- and the best way is to increase cooperation between public and private bodies. [ + ]
Medica raises $4.3m for biotech investees
Pooled development fund Medica Holdings has completed a fund-raising trifecta for its stable of biotech investee companies. [ + ]
'Surfing' for real-time earth resources data
Earth and environmental scientists will be able to access data and build realistic models and simulations of earth processes across Australia without leaving their offices, say researchers organising an Australian workshop about a new paradigm in Internet technologies and computing.
[ + ]Chemeq announces $7m loss
WA antimicrobial vet biotech Chemeq (ASX: CMQ) has listed a AUD$7.2 million loss for the 2002-03 fiscal year, described as "in line with the company's budget" despite a recent $25 million injection from share placements. [ + ]
BIF grants supports acne therapeutic
Sydney-based DermaTech Laboratories has scored a AUD$360,000 Biotechnology Innovation Fund grant from the Commonwealth government to research the development of a bacteria-neutral acne lotion. [ + ]
SGI launch makes new bid for research community
Supercomputer maker SGI is trying to extend its lifespan in the high-performance computing (HPC) market with the launch of the Onyx4 UltraVision, an upgraded flagship system it hopes will appeal to life sciences and other researchers keen to get ever more detail in the graphical representation of their data. [ + ]
Polymerat cheered by new development agreements
Materials science start-up Polymerat has glimpsed light at the end of the tunnel by signing its first joint product development agreements with established biotechs. [ + ]
Australia ranked 17th in Global Innovation Index
A new report has identifed three key factors that determine a nation's capacity for innovation, and has found that Australia needs a more co-ordinated and committed approach to innovation policy, if it is to become a leading innovator economy.
[ + ]World astronomers planning major new telescope
Leading international scientists and engineers will meet in Geraldton, Western Australia, next week to discuss building the world's largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The meeting is the annual planning meeting for the international community interested in advancing the SKA telescope.
[ + ]Bayer GM canola gets green light for commercial release
The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator has given Bayer CropScience the green light to commercially release its InVigor genetically modified canola. [ + ]
Antisense psoriasis cream to undergo clincial study
Antisense Therapeutics has announced plans to conduct a pre-Phase I proof-of-concept clinical study to confirm that its antisense psoriasis treatment ATL1101 shows activity. [ + ]
Fundraising activity nets $8m for Stem Cell Sciences
Melbourne company Stem Cell Sciences has emerged from recent capital-raising activities AUD$8 million better off. [ + ]
Qld start-up Thrombostat raises $800,000 in VC, grants
Brisbane start-up company Thrombostat has attracted AUD$800,000 in venture capital and grants to develop drugs that could displace aspirin in long-term prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. [ + ]
Proteome Systems, CSIRO team up in data mining
Two of the leading forces in Australian bioinformatics are pooling their expertise to build a new generation of protein expression data mining tools. [ + ]