Industry News
GTG tightens patent grip
Melbourne company Genetic Technologies Ltd (ASX: GTG) has settled two of three lawsuits brought against US biotechnology companies for alleged infringements of its non-coding DNA gene-testing patents. [ + ]
EQiTX to develop vaccine technology platform
Perth-based biotechnology company EQiTX and the CRC for Vaccine Technologies have negotiated an agreement for EQiTX to develop and commercialise the CRC's proprietary lipopeptide vaccine technology platform. [ + ]
GM surgery to detoxify feed crop
Molecular geneticists at Melbourne University's Institute of Land and Food Resources plan to use RNA interference gene silencing to remove a potent neurotoxin from the manure and feed crop, vetch (Vicia sativa). [ + ]
CEO change off the agenda at Ventracor AGM
Shareholders at Ventracor's annual general meeting in Brisbane yesterday raised not a jot of concern about the board's surprise decision this week to replace CEO Michael Spooner with former Sirtex chief Colin Sutton. [ + ]
Polartechnics in US distribution deal
Sydney-based devices company Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) has signed a heads of agreement with US company Open Systems Imaging (OSI) to market and sell its melanoma detection and monitoring system SolarScan in the US. [ + ]
Ex-Novartis CEO joins Pharmaxis
Newly-listed company Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) has appointed ex-Novartis Australia CEO Gary Phillips as commercial director to look after sales and marketing efforts as the company prepares to complete clinical trials and roll out its first product. [ + ]
AustCancer in gene test partnership
Australian Cancer Technology (ASX:ACU) has partnered with Prof Ursula Kees at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research to develop a diagnostic test able to rapidly screen tumour samples for deleted tumour suppressor genes. [ + ]
New clinical trials lab opens for business
Melbourne clinical trials group Cancer Trials Australia (CTA) opened a new state-of-the-art laboratory on Wednesday, to complement other clinical trials services offered by the group. [ + ]
Local researchers abuzz for bee genome publication
With the honeybee genome about to be completed, work is ramping up in Assoc Prof Ben Oldroyd's laboratory at the University of Sydney to take advantage of the information it offers. [ + ]
Bayer off the hook in NSW canola trial
NSW Agriculture Minister Ian MacDonald has advised Bayer CropScience that it will not have to destroy a trial crop of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant canola near Wagga, despite the discovery of a small number of canola plants in the surrounding buffer zone. [ + ]
Big pharma said to be testing Select's Hep A vaccine
A number of multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies from Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific are evaluating Select Vaccine's rapid diagnostic hepatitis A kit as a forerunner to license negotiations, the company (ASX:SLT) said on Tuesday. [ + ]
Premier in hunt for commercial partner
Premier Bionics (ASX:PBI) is ramping up its efforts to find a commercial partner for its Airway Clear sleep apnoea monitoring device. [ + ]
Progen sells unit to NZ supplier
Progen (ASX:PGL) has sold its life sciences business unit to New Zealand-based Global Science and Technology (GST) for AUD$1.2 million. [ + ]
Epitan: FDA intrigued by tanning drug
Epitan (ASX:EPT) has returned from its pre-IND meeting with the US Food and Drug Administration with a clear idea of what will be required to get approval for US clinical trials, according to CEO Wayne Millen. [ + ]
Biotech veteran calls for tax breaks
Long time biotechnology investor Leon Serry has called on the federal government to implement a 100 per cent tax deduction as an incentive for significant institutional investment into Australian companies running Phase III clinical trials. [ + ]
