Healthcare industry

The increasing number of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics is becoming a great problem in the treatment of infected wounds. The Hohenstein Institutes are developing novel wound dressings that use bacteriophages to combat even the most virulent pathogens.

Article - 06/04/2008

Molecular chaperons in algal chloroplasts

Michael Schroda from the Department of Plant Biochemistry at the University of Freiburg is examining the role of HSP70B a chaperon in the chloroplasts of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii algae which is important for protecting the algae against high light intensity.

In the second article in the series on the platforms successful cooperations BioValley presents an encouraging approach for improving the quality of life of severely ill cancer patients and the successful establishment of an industrial biochip platform.

Press release - 05/04/2008

Hezinger Algaetec: Bio-diesel should soon become cheaper

The system exporter Hezinger GmbH wants to act in future as a global supplier of photobioreactors for the breeding of algae in order to promote the extraction of bio-diesel from the vegetable oil of algae as an alternative to the use of wheat rapeseed and maize.

A consortium of two universities two applied research institutes and a research-based pharmaceutical company is looking for innovative cellular models of the human heart with the aim of developing better methods for drug testing.

In their early developmental stages living organisms are very sensitive to exposure to chemicals. Scientists at the KIT Institute of Toxicology and Genetics ITG have developed a model system with fish embryos to specifically identify the effects of environmental toxins at a very early point.

The first European Conference for Clinical Nanomedicine is to be held soon in Basel. BIOPRO has therefore discussed this promising area of application with Beat Löffler and Dr. Patrick Hunziker the founders of the European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine.

Article - 31/03/2008

First biosimilar from Ulm close to approval

ratiopharm Germanys second largest generics producer received a positive assessment from the EU regulatory body EMEA in London for the first filgrastim biosimilar. The company expects to receive marketing authorisation for its first biosimilar by mid to end April.

The Heidenheim based Hartmann Group increased its sales growth by 5.3 to EUR 1.28 billion in 2007. According to Rinaldo Riguzzi CEO of Paul Hartmann AG consolidated net income rose 14 to EUR 38.8 million.

The Swabian businessman Adolf Merckle has reorganised his company empire and withdrawn all family members from business operations. This affects the head of the Ulm-based ratiopharm business Philipp Daniel Merckle.

Article - 30/03/2008

Small air bubbles with a huge impact

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Metal Research in Stuttgart and their colleagues from Chicago and Miami have identified a physical mechanism that gives a new explanation as to how ion channels work.

Working with colleagues from the Harvard Medical School in Boston USA researchers from Freiburg University have discovered a previously unknown role of insulin in ageing and lifespan. Insulin inhibits a master stress regulator protein known as SKN-1.

GATC Biotech announced that it has added to its facilities with a wholly owned subsidiary in Stockholm Sweden building on the Companys existing presence in Europe with offices in Germany France and England.

The medical online learning programme by the Tübingen-based E-learning publisher INMEDEA GmbH simulates procedures and situations in different departments of a hospital with their respective typical patient groups.

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen and their colleagues from the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines succeeded in accelerating rice plant breeding by using artificial small RNA molecules.

At the Nestl Product Centre PTC in Singen around 170 specialists from 28 countries research and develop new products and processes for the production of culinary products baby food and desserts. Discoveries from basic research are incorporated into actual products and technical facilities and processes are continually improved. The PTC is one of twelve Nestl research centres worldwide.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer or reprogramming of somatic cells into a near embryonic state - it is now expected that stem cell experts rate their findings in the field of stem cell research. What can be called a breakthrough? What is the scientific value?

The Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag has carried out an investigation into the medical-biological legal and social aspects of gene doping. Scientists are afraid.

Article - 24/03/2008

Successful cooperation between science and industry

At the recent Science meets Business Day four tandem teams of the German BioValley Platform presented their projects. These will be introduced in two articles. The first article focuses on natural substances with a pharmaceutical potential.

The paper by Lohmueller et al. 2008 shows that there is proportionally more deleterious genetic variation in European than in African populations. This revelation enables conclusions to be made on the group that emigrated from Africa several thousand years ago.

Nycomed and Cadila Healthcare have signed a letter agreement with the intent to amend their existing joint venture agreement to include the chemical production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) by the joint venture company Zydus Nycomed in India. Based on this agreement, Nycomed plans to transfer the current chemical production from the sites in Linz (Austria) and Singen (Germany) to the new joint venture within the next three to four…

The biotechnology sector is growing and new companies have excellent opportunities to establish themselves on the market. Dr. Michael Steinwand explains what companies have to beware.

Is there a slight chance that patients suffering from Retinitis pigmentosa or even from age-related macular degeneration might be able to regain their vision? A microchip implanted beneath the retina might at least give such patients the ability to make out the outlines of objects.

Vetter Pharma Fertigung GmbH Co has been granted approval by the American Food and Drug Administration FDA for the production of a new client drug. Vetter will now be filling injection systems with the new drug at its Ravensburg facility. Vetter has invested over 100 million euros.

Article - 16/03/2008

New indication for lead compound of Apogenix

Isolated tumour cells use to invade healthy brain tissue during the development and growth of glioblastoma multiforme GBM. This mechanism involves the CD95CD95L death system. These results supports the therapeutic potential of Apogenix APG101 for the treatment of glioblastomas.