Industry News
pSivida appointment expected to inject US experience
Australian company pSivida announced today that it has appointed Hal Kruth to the board of pSivida's UK subsidiary pSiMedica. [ + ]
Primate breeding/testing facility to be built
Melbourne primate researchers could look to the United States for further funding to back a new Gippsland monkey house. [ + ]
Mixed response from scientists for PM's stem cell thumbs-up
Surplus IVF embryos will be available for stem cell research after Prime Minister John Howard today wrote to state premiers proposing the legislative change. [ + ]
Biotech boosted at Invest Australia
Federal government agency Invest Australia's biotechnology team will quadruple in size after undergoing a major restructure to be completed July 1 this year. [ + ]
Amrad's letter to shareholders: reject Circadian proposal
Amrad Corporation has issued a letter urging shareholders to reject a proposal to oust three of its directors. [ + ]
EU approves Compumedics sleep system
A European window of opportunity has opened for sleep disorders device developer Compumedics, with the news it has gained EU approval to market its Somte system. [ + ]
Prima US subsidiaries score patent wins
US patents have been granted to Arthron and Cancer Vac, subsidiary companies of Australian company Prima BioMed. [ + ]
Progen's distribution arm picks up new agencies
Brisbane-based biotech Progen Industries has been appointed exclusive Australian distributor for two product ranges used by lab researchers. [ + ]
Alchemia teams with Belgian screening company
Australian company Alchemia has begun a drug discovery collaboration with Belgium's Euroscreen. [ + ]
New blow for Amrad as collaborators pull out
Two early-stage research projects will revert back to the Amrad Corporation (ASX: AML) fold after collaborators decided they no longer wished to pursue them. [ + ]
New council to advise on Australian biotech
Minister Ian Macfarlane, chair of the commonwealth biotechnology ministerial council, has announced the establishment of the Australian Biotechnology Advisory Council to advise the government on priority issues in biotechnology.
[ + ]Tools to curb meningococcal outbreaks
Outbreaks of meningococcal disease could be dramatically reduced thanks to research being conducted by the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Diagnostics based at Brisbane's Queensland University of Technology.
[ + ]Takara spins off biotech unit
Japanese liquor maker Takara Shuzo has stepped up its push to make a name for itself in the biotechnology sector by separating its bio-related activities into a new company. [ + ]
Genaissance announces initial STRENGTH findings
Researchers at Genaissance Pharmaceuticals have found "statistically significant" associations between genetic markers and certain patient responses to cholesterol-lowering drugs. Such associations, or links, could be used to develop pharmacogenomic tests that would help physicians determine the best drug for a particular patient. [ + ]
Stem cell letter to government published
An open letter to Australia's Federal, State and Territory Governments was published in The Age on Tuesday supporting adult stem cell research and advocating a ban on human embryo experimentation. [ + ]
