Industry News
Autogen to get milestone payment from Merck
Melbourne-based biotech Autogen will receive $AUD1.39 million in a milestone payment from commercial partner Merck, the company announced today. [ + ]
Promising faster returns could be dangerous, bio-IT expert warns
Drug development companies are dipping into dangerous waters by trying to persuade investors that the industry can achieve the same improvements in product cycle times delivered by other manufacturing industries, warns US-based bio-IT specialist Dan Stevens. [ + ]
DNA shuffling in the genetics game
Dr Willem (Pim) Stemmer has spent the past decade demonstrating, in the most graphic manner possible, the value of biodiversity, and the existence of a massive genetic treasure trove in nature, far greater than the sum of its individual components. [ + ]
Nobel headcount grows for Genetics Congress
The Nobel winner count for July's International Congress of Genetics has risen to eight, with confirmation that Sir John Sulston will be joining fellow 2002 Medicine laureates Sir Sydney Brenner and Prof Robert Horvitz in Melbourne. [ + ]
Aussie research speeds burns recovery
Severe burns, like those experienced by Bali bombing victims, could be healed in half the time due to world-first research by QUT and the Red Cross. The International Red Cross Society Bali Relief Fund has provided more than $300,000 for the research project which aims to speed the rate at which a skin graft grows both in the laboratory and on a patient's body.
[ + ]Takeover bid made for Sirtex
US company Cephalon has made a $AUD271 million takeover offer for Sydney-based cancer treatment company Sirtex Medical. [ + ]
Gardiner Foundation announces R&D funding awards
The Geoffrey Gardiner Dairy Foundation has announced the inaugural recipients of its major research and development funding initiative. [ + ]
Synchrotron becoming drug design essential, say researchers
CSIRO structural biologist Jose Varghese believes that synchrotrons are essential tools for finding out how proteins work, and designing drugs to specifically interact with them. [ + ]
Synchrotron interest pulls in would-be users
A Melbourne workshop organised by the Australian Synchrotron Project last week attracted 350 participants, including representatives from synchrotrons all over the world. [ + ]
GroPep says turn-around is on track despite loss
Despite slightly lower than expected revenues for the half-year ending December 31, Adelaide company GroPep was on track for full recovery, said CFO Tony Mitchell today. [ + ]
New target found in search for Alzheimer's treatment
Researchers hunting the serial murderer responsible for the progressive, mass-death of neurons in Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, have found a new suspect. [ + ]
Global energy research alliance formed
The global oil and gas industry will benefit from the establishment of a world-class energy technology research alliance signed recently in Western Australia.
[ + ]Allergan deal paying off for Peplin
The first fruits of anti-cancer drug developer Peplin Biotech's landmark licensing deal with US pharmaceutical company Allergan have surfaced in the form of a 240 per cent surge in Peplin's first-half revenues. [ + ]
Single shareholder to blame for Ambri's pre-Christmas crucifixion
Biosensor company Ambri has learned first-hand the fickle nature of the share market -- a stock slide that saw the company lose almost a third of its value since mid-December, before recovering 22 per cent on Friday, was precipitated by a single shareholder selling off its entire holding in the company. [ + ]
Position, not salary, key concern for returning expats
Getting a suitably challenging position is a bigger concern to many returning expatriate Australians than salary, attendees heard at the first BioMelbourne Breakfast for this year. [ + ]
