Industry News
Bright and brilliant: future funding for Victorian science
'Victorians: Bright Ideas, Brilliant Future' -- a new innovation statement from the Victorian government announcing $310 million in new funding for science, technology and research initiatives -- was today launched by State Premier Steve Bracks and Innovation Minister John Brumby. [ + ]
Medica achieves funding target in placement
Medica Holdings has raised $3.25 million in a private placement to leading Australian institutional investors. [ + ]
$150m funding announced in NHMRC project grants
The annual competition for research grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has been fought and and won -- and 406 projects have won the prestigious, peer-reviewed right to share in this year's funding pool of $150 million. [ + ]
Peptech down as European royalties cease
Peptech's share price plunged more than 50 per cent today after announcing that it had ceased receiving European royalties from US-based Centocor. [ + ]
Metabolic teams with BresaGen to produce anti-obesity compound
Melbourne biotechnology company Metabolic Pharmaceuticals has engaged Adelaide biotech BresaGen to develop a scaleable production system for its promising anti-obesity compound AOD9604. [ + ]
Don't fall behind in bio-IT, observers warn
A Sydney briefing last week on the global bioinformatics market was told that Australia must boost its record on science spending or risk falling behind the so-called 'Asian tiger' economies of its neighbours. [ + ]
Meditech on course for Phase II after capital raising
Melbourne biotech company Meditech Research has launched a $3.5 million capital raising, underwritten by Intersuisse, to fund initial Phase II clinical trials of its HyACT anti-cancer treatments. [ + ]
Starpharma subsidiary awarded $3.5 million by US govt
Dendritic Nanotechnologies (DNT), a subsidiary of Melbourne organisation Starpharma, has received $US3.5 million ($6.3 million) from the United States government to establish facilities for applied dendrimer research and development at Central Michigan University (CMU). [ + ]
Business delivers improved treatment for lung disease
A business plan for a new testing device designed to improve the lives of thousands of people each year struck down with lung disease has scooped the top prize worth $25,000 in this year’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Business Plan Competition.
[ + ]WA research centre appeals to philanthropy
A young cooperative research institute in Western Australia is hoping wealthy philanthropists will help it plug a funding gap. [ + ]
Greenpeace dust claims 'a cheap shot': GM expert
An expert on genetically modified crops has dismissed claims by Greenpeace that last week's massive dust storm over eastern Australia disproved claims that GE canola pollen would not travel very far. [ + ]
'Poetic justice' earns licence deal for Genetic Technologies
In a newspaper opinion piece in March 2001, Genetic Technologies' executive chairman Dr Mervyn Jacobson defended the rights of US genetic testing company Myriad Genetics to charge high prices for its patented gene testing service for familial breast cancer. [ + ]
Nuts ain't nuts: fine-tuning the macadamia industry
In 1881 an American, William Purvis, pocketed a handful of macadamia nuts from a tree in the Gold Coast hinterland and spirited them away to Hawaii. [ + ]
ResMed picks up exporter gong
Australian sleep apnoea devices manufacturer ResMed has taken out the 2002 NSW Premier's Exporter of the Year Award as well as the award for the 2002 NSW Exporter of the Year in the Large Advanced Manufacturer category, which is for manufacturers with more than $20 million in annual sales. [ + ]
Silver lining for Sunshine Heart
A new Australian developed device that boosts failing hearts while they repair themselves has won a silver medal in the Far Eastern Economic Review's annual Asian Innovation Awards. [ + ]
