Editorial, News, Letters, Bioshares, Products, Book reviews, Meetings

Australasian Biotechnology, Volume 8 Number 1, January/February 1998, pp. 1-13 Editorial, News, Letters, Bioshares, Products, Book reviews, Meetings Code Number:AU98001 Sizes of Files: Text: 98K Graphics: No associated graphics files FROM THE EDITORS Not Another Monica and Bill Story In the issue of Who magazine with "All the President's Women" on the cover, there is a bizarre story about Dr Richard Seed, would be cloner of humans. A Bleat from the Bench The business management of research has become a discipline of its own, with its own conferences, its own government reports and reviews. Gone are the days when a CSIRO Chief or the Professorial Head of a University Department could just decide that a certain area of research was worthy of more investigations, and almost unilaterally decide to put funds into the area. Infrastructure for Research - Culture Collections The Australian Collection of Microorganisms at the University of Queensland is in real trouble. Towards the end of 1997, funding for staff ran out and two staff left, leaving only 1.5 people to curate Australia's main collection of bacterial cultures. This has meant that thousands of cultures held in the Collection will not be able to be maintained. NEWS $100 Million of New R&D Announced to Support Medical, Manufacturing, IT and Multi-Media Industries The Industry R&D Board announced on December 5 that it will provide funding of up to almost $45 million towards 19 major R&D projects, under Round Three of the R&D Start Program. With the matching contribution from the grant recipients this will mean more than $100 million in new R&D expenditure. ForBio Research Ltd $A1,574 Automation of DNA Preparation for Genetic Analysis Clinical development of milk-derived growth promoting agents for the treatment of chronic wounds IR&D Board Contacts Edinburgh BioParks launched by Moredun and the Roslin Institute Edinburgh BioParks is pleased to announce that it has taken over from Charles Kingdon & Associates in assisting with commercialisation work at the Roslin Institute (Edinburgh) and Moredun. Food Science Australia Opens for Business Food Science Australia, the joint venture between the CSIRO Division of Food Science and Technology and Afisc (Australian Food Industry Science Centre) commenced operation on 1 December 1997. BIO Publishes 1997-1998 Editors' and Reporters' Guide and Citizens` Guide Bio has recently released its 1997-1998 Editors' and Reporters' Guide to Biotechnology. This Apex '96 award-winning publication is an excellent "fact book" covering all sectors of the industry. COMPANY NEWS Phase 1 Clinical Trial of AM424 Under Way AMRAD commenced a Phase 1 clinical trial of AM424, a potential treatment for motor neurone disease (MND) and peripheral neuropathies (disorders of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord), in mid-October 1997. Peptech Announces Major Board Changes The Board of Peptech Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Directors, Dr Michael Cohen and Dr Tom Quirk. They join Peptech at an important stage of its development and bring to the company extensive experience in the successful commercialisation of biotechnology products. Amersham and Pharmacia Merge In August 1997, Amersham International plc and Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc merged their respective Life Science and Biotech divisions to form the world's largest biotechnology supply company, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. Trace Scientific - Herbos Joint Venture Trace Scientific Ltd (Melbourne, Australia) and Herbos d.d. (Zagreb, Croatia) have agreed to enter into a joint equity venture to manufacture, market and distribute diagnostic products. According to Tony Bigum, Managing Director of Trace Scientific Ltd, the joint venture company Herbos Dijagnostika, will be based in Sisak Croatia, and as such, is ideally situated to service the demands of diagnostic laboratories throughout Eastern Europe. ForBio Strengthens Coffee Ties in Line with International Expansion ForBio International Inc and Integrated Coffee Technologies Inc have finalised arrangements for 50:50 joint ownership of American Tropical Plants Inc (ATP), an Hawaiian company which now holds the licensed technology which leads to the production of caffeine controlled and uniform ripening coffee, cocoa and tea. ForBio Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bill Henderson said the new venture provides ForBio with more flexibility in terms of production and application of its biotechnology expertise. Groundbreaking Joint Venture Between Green Triangle and ForBio Limited The Australian potato industry is set to boom with the multi-million dollar expansion of the potato seed industry commencing in South Australia. Anti-Cancer Drug Program Enters New Stage Biotechnology firm Biota Holdings Limited announced on 19 January 1998 a significant development in its quest to produce a new anti-cancer drug for the international market. Biota and BioStar Begin North American Clinical Trials of Influenza Diagnostic Biota Holdings Limited (Australian Stock Exchange:BTA) announced on 13 January 1998 that with its development partner, BioStar Inc., it has commenced North American clinical trials of its influenza diagnostic, being conducted at several locations in the United States. The North American trial is designed to assess the performance of Biota's new 15-minute diagnostic for both influenza A and influenza B using several patient specimen types. Biota expects its new revolutionary diagnostic to be submitted for regulatory clearance in the US in the second quarter of 1998. Biopartnering Biopartnering deals are important milestones in the development of biotechnology companies. It is vital that companies negotiating these deals are full appraised of all the issues which they need to cover in their contract, and the various structures which can be applied. The crucial points are financial (upfront and milestone payments, research costs and royalties), control of the various stages, supply of product and liability, intellectual property and rights of termination. There are many other points which will also need to be dealt with in a contract. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, The success of a biotechnology company is significantly dictated by the number of patents issued to it. Patents are the primary assets targeted in mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology industry. BIO SHARES Covering Australian Biotechnology Stocks - compiled by M.J. Playne ASIAN NEWS Contributed by Tikki Pang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia IMBN - A New Molecular Biology Network for the Asia Pacific Region Fast Becoming a Reality A considerable amount of excitement is building up among the region's scientists over the establishment of a new network of life scientists, which aims to boost biomedical research and biotechnology in the Asia Pacific region. The network, to be known as the International Molecular Biology Network for Asia and the Pacific Rim (IMBN), is modeled on the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) and has shown remarkable progress since its inception in the middle of 1997. Meeting Report - The Third Asia Pacific Symposium on Typhoid Fever and Other Salmonellosis IPE-BTU Biotechnology News Sixth Pacific Rim Biotechnology Conference and BioExpo 98 Third International Symposium - Asia Pacific Society of Bioscientists Victorian Fermentation Special Interest Group Postgraduate Young Speakers Competition BOOK REVIEWS Wider Application and Diffusion of Bioremediation Technologies, The Amsterdam `95 Workshop. OECD 1996 This book is the outcome of the OECD workshop of the same title held in November 1995. Hairy Roots. Culture and Applications Editor: Pauline M. Doran What can you say? A bit of an unnerving title for a book reviewer. However, for those of us involved in plant tissue culture, the subject of this title has been an exciting one since the observations in the early 1980's of the rapid growth of roots of several plant species transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Fundamentals of Food Biotechnology Byong H. Lee This book indeed matches its title - it gives a quite fundamental view of food biotechnology. There is a short introduction to biotechnology. This is followed by three chapters on the principles of biochemistry, microbiology and biochemical engineering. Encyclopaedia of Molecular Biology and Molecular Medicine Editor: R.A. Meyers Volumes 4-6 These three volumes complete this very well-produced and useful encyclopaedia. Each volume is of around 500 pages. Volume 6 contains a detailed index of 127 pages covering the contents of all six volumes. The index appears to have been thoroughly checked. MEETINGS Details of forthcoming meetings from 19 April 1998 - 8 Sept 2000 Product News JOHN MORRIS SCIENTIFIC ML-6100 Fermentor Controller IR2: The New Formula for DNA Sequencing and Genetic Analysis PRATT SAFETY SYSTEMS New Modular Safety Shower Range is Versatile and Cost Effective New Poisons Cabinet METTLER TOLEDO LIMITED The Right Electrode for the Right Application HEARNE GetARef for Windows ABA OFFICE BEARERS Copyright 1998 Australian Biotechnology Association Ltd