Industry News
Progen half year results show revenue continues to rise
Half year results for drug developer Progen Industries reveal revenues from its contract drug manufacturing and life sciences sales and distribution arms continue to rise, helping offset development costs of its anti-cancer drug candidates. [ + ]
Monash research targets vaccine against 'stealth microbe'
Researchers at Monash University have begun sifting through the database from Australia's first bacterial genome project, looking for targets for a vaccine against an unusual microbe that can kill, or leave survivors chronically depressed. [ + ]
Gene silencing patent argument grows louder
Queensland biotechnology company Benitec says CSIRO has "no claim" to its patented technology for gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi). [ + ]
Pulmosonix gets grant for device development
Researchers at Melbourne-based devices company Pulmosonix have received a $AUD165,000 development grant from the NHMRC to work on a new device for simple and non-invasive assessment of the condition of deeper tissues and organs. [ + ]
Meditech gears up for Phase II anti-cancer trials
Meditech Research has been granted ethics committee approval to begin a Phase II clinical trial testing two anti-cancer drugs, HyFIVE and HyCAMP, on colorectal cancer patients, the company said yesterday. [ + ]
IDT boosts profit on 26% revenue gain
A revenue increase of 26 per cent has helped Melbourne-based Institute of Drug Technology (IDT) push its net profit up nine per cent to $AUD2,077,053 in the half year ending December 31, 2002. [ + ]
Iatia CEO looks to expand markets and development
Melbourne-based imaging technology developer Iatia is positive about the prospects of the company despite low cash reserves, CEO Brian Powell said today. [ + ]
Remicade royalty refusal beggars analysis
US biomedical company Centocor continues to puzzle analysts and investors alike with its refusal to pay royalties on its market-leading rheumatoid arthritis therapy Remicade to small Sydney biotechnology company Peptech. [ + ]
CK Life, Swinburne team to trial ancient remedy as potential AIDS vaccine
CK Life Sciences, the biotech child of Asian business tycoon Li Ka Shing, will this month start an Australian trial of an AIDS vaccine drawn from ancient Chinese herbal remedies after inking a $600,000 deal with the Swinburne University Graduate School of Integrative Medicine. [ + ]
Metabolic obesity drug proven safe in trial
Melbourne biotech company Metabolic Pharmaceuticals announced the results of the Phase IIa clinical trial for its anti-obesity drug AOD9604 today, confirming the safety of the drug. [ + ]
Colman to address Sydney conference
Cloning pioneer Alan Colman, the director of research programs with Singapore company ES Cell International, will visit Sydney in May to address a conference on prospects for stem cell therapy. [ + ]
Patently, a battle for genetics' next big thing
Who invented hairpin gene silencing? It's literally a $64 million question, as the claimants to one of the most valuable biotechnology patents of the past decade begin skirmishing over its ownership. [ + ]
Agenix readies for phase I trials, pre-tax profits up
Brisbane biotech Agenix saw its first half revenues decline slightly while posting a 32 per cent rise in before-tax profits on a like-to-like comparison with the same period last year. [ + ]
ErbB2 research may give key to cancer growth
Researchers at the CRC for Cellular Growth Factors have determined the structure of ErbB2, providing an important clue in how the molecule may contribute to the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. [ + ]
Bioactives easier to source than funds, companies find
It is easier to ferret out promising bioactive compounds in Australia's plant kingdom than it is to extract fresh funds from the investor community, young bioprospecting companies are discovering. [ + ]
