CSL’S DR BRIAN MCNAMEE TO HEAD INDUSTRY REVIEW
May 29th 2008 21:55
Monday May 26, 2008
Daily news on ASX-listed biotechnology companies
* ASX, BIOTECHS DOWN: SUNSHINE HEART UP 13%; TISSUE THERAPIES DOWN 28%
* CSL’S DR BRIAN MCNAMEE TO HEAD FEDERAL INDUSTRY REVIEW
* BIOLAYER REPLACES CEO, ANNOUNCES REVIEW
* BIO-MELBOURNE NETWORK APPOINTS MICHELLE GALLAHER CEO
* BALYASNY INCREASES TO 7% OF PRANA
* COPULOS TAKES 19% OF HEALTHLINX
* BIO-MELBOURNE WORKSHOPS EARLY STAGE TRIAL PLANNING
* SOLAGRAN ISSUES 30.4m SHARES
THE MARKET
Fourteen of the Biotech Daily Top 40 stocks were up, 17 fell, four traded unchanged and five were untraded.
Sunshine Heart was best, up 0.8 cents or 13.11 percent to 6.9 cents on moderate volumes, followed by Living Cell up three cents or 8.57 percent to 38 cents, Psivida up 8.33 percent to 13 cents and Antisense up 8.22 percent to 7.9 cents.
Tissue Therapies led the falls down 0.2 cents or 16.67 percent to 10 cents on modest volumes, followed by Phosphagenics down one cent or 7.41 percent to 12.5 cents.
subscribe to Biotech Daily at the link above or at www.biotechdaily.com.au
PHARMACEUTICALS INDUSTRY STRATEGY GROUP
The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Senator Kim Carr has appointed Dr Brian McNamee, to head the Pharmaceuticals Industry Strategy Group.
Dr McNamee is the chief executive officer of Australia’s largest pharmaceutical company, CSL, formerly the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories.
Senator Carr has released the terms of reference for the Group, which is expected to develop a plan to attract investment in research and development, clinical trials and manufacturing activity in Australia.
“The Strategy Group will examine the drivers and barriers to attracting new internationally competitive and sustainable manufacturing and R&
investment in the pharmaceuticals sector,” Senator Carr said. “It will present a draft report to me by September and a final report by the end of the year,” he said.“Key industry and union leaders will work with the Government to develop the strengths that Australia has already carved out in early-stage clinical trials and specialized manufacturing,” Senator Carr said. He said it was “imperative that industry, workers and government join together to create an operating environment where it makes good business sense for international firms to invest in Australia”.
Members of the Group will be drawn from all segments of the bio-pharmaceuticals industry, with leaders from the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and generic medicines industry asked to participate, along with union representatives.
The chief executives of Medicines Australia, Ausbiotech and the Generics Medicines Industry of Australia will be members of the Group.
The Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research’s head of innovation Craig Pennifold will co-chair the Strategy Group.
Under its terms of reference Senator Carr has commissioned the Group to develop a strategic plan to increase investment in pharmaceuticals research and development and manufacturing in Australia over the next decade.
“The Australian pharmaceuticals industry is defined as all those who contribute to the discovery, creation and supply of pharmaceutical products and services, including prescription medicines and vaccines,” a Federal Government media release said.
It encompasses research, clinical trials and pharmaceutical manufacturing and includes the originator medicine, the generic medicine and the medical biotechnology sectors.
The media release said the pharmaceuticals industry was highly globalized and in a period of global rationalization that will impact on the sustainability of the Australian industry.
The Pharmaceuticals Industry Strategy Group will examine the drivers and barriers to increasing productive investment in research and development, clinical trials and manufacturing activity in Australia, including regulatory and reimbursement systems.
It will identify strategies to overcome impediments and capitalize on the opportunities to attract investment that builds on Australia's competitive strengths and identifies the actions that industry and Government should take to increase manufacturing activity and investment in manufacturing infrastructure and increase research and development activity and investment in research and development infrastructure.
The Group will provide a well reasoned business case for how any proposed actions will attract internationally competitive and sustainable research and development, clinical trials and manufacturing investment to Australia together with an implementation timetable and key performance indicators and explain how the actions would make a net economic and/or social contribution to Australia by 2020.
A draft directions paper is expected by September 30, 2008 and a final report by December 31, 2008.
subscribe to Biotech Daily at the link above or at www.biotechdaily.com.au
| 50 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog