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Look out for these Upcoming Issues Australia Patent Problem for Australian Professor Australian scientist Professor Ian Frazer is most well 2006 known as the inventor of the , which received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration recently and is set to become commercially available in Australia later this year. Drug giant Merck is 30 Aug Drug Discovery already marketing to American women on its website. However, there appears to be a patent problem for 15 Sep Special Issue on the cervical cancer vaccine. Biotechnology in Korea The is one of four research institutions claiming to be responsible for original work 30 Sep Pharmacogenomics leading to a cervical cancer vaccine. The other three are the US' National Cancer Institute (NCI), Georgetown 15 Oct Telemedicine University in Washington DC and the . A Medical Center 30 Oct Bioethics (GUMC) press release issued the day the FDA approved Gardasil explained researcher Richard Schlegel's role in the vaccine's development but says nothing about the other 15 Nov Special Issue on Clinical Trials in Asia Pacifi c efforts involved. On the other hand, Ian insists he co-invented the vaccine 30 Nov Lipodomics with University of Queensland colleague Dr in 1991. Frazer and Zhou fi led a provisional patent covering their human papillomavirus (HPV) research in June 1991 15 Dec Biostatistics and presented their fi ndings at a scientifi c meeting in the US in September that year. 30 Dec Special Issue Bioinformatics in Asia Pacifi c According to Matthew Rimmer, a senior lecturer at National University who specializes in intellectual property, what resulted was a "three-way battle between the University of Queensland and CSL Ltd, the University of Rochester, and the National Institutes of Health."

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Prana co-Founding Scientist, approach is now directed at identifying lead Professor Colin Masters, Receives compounds, such as PBT2 (Prana’s lead compound), Lifetime Achievement Award in that can inhibit the production or aggregation of amyloid in the Alzheimer’s disease brain. Alzheimer's Disease Research Professor Colin Masters, MD, PhD, of the Australia's Topical Pain Relief Department of Pathology, University of Lotion to be Exported to Asia and co-founding scientist of Prana Biotechnology and Europe Limited received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Elmore Oil, the pain relief lotion produced in Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the 10th International Australia using four natural ingredients has proven to Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) in Madrid be an effective pain reliever for all forms of arthritis, recently. The award is presented to outstanding including osteo-arthritis. Manufactured using a world scientists who have dedicated themselves to helping first process, known as Triple Maturation, the products millions around the world through their research. creator was able to harness the pain relieving and Professor Masters also currently serves as the Head anti-inflammatory properties of natural tea tree oil of the Alzheimer’s Project at the Mental Health and eucalyptus oil, yet produce a potent synergystic Research Institute of Victoria (Australia). effect by the unique maturing process he developed. Colin Masters began his research career in 1966, In Australia, the product has proven effective in as a summer vacation student working with Evan the relief of all forms of joint and muscular pain, Morgan (Department of Physiology, University of even the more difficult osteo-arthritis. Now with Western Australia) on the placental transfer of plasma distributors located in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the proteins. His interests in neuroscience research stem Czech Republic, Elmore Oil will soon be available from this time, when during pursuit of a Bachelor of throughout Asia and Europe. Australian based Latrobe Medical Science degree he participated in the first University will conduct clinical trials to validate the demonstration of brain-stem evoked responses to pain relieving and rapid recovery properties of Elmore aditory stimuli in humans. Oil. In soft tissue injuries, Elmore Oil is believed to speed up the recovery time by more than 35%. The evaluation of amyloid deposition in other transmissible diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, led Professor Masters in 1978 to commence his study of the nature of the amyloid deposits in Alzheimer’s disease. In collaboration with Konrad China Media Networks Beyreuther (then at the Institute of Genetics, Cologne, International Inc Changes and now the University of Heidelberg) in 1984, the Name to Medical Solutions N-terminal sequence of Alzheimer plaque amyloid Management Inc was obtained. The collaboration has continued to the China Media Networks International announced present and resulted in numerous achievements. that its corporate name is Medical Solutions Professor Masters’ current studies on Alzheimer’s Management Inc. (MSMI). MSMI changed its name disease are now focused on identifying the pathways to better align and reflect the identity of its through which environmental and genetic factors increasingly diversified medical solutions business can operate to cause the disease. In collaboration activities. The new ticker symbol is "MSMT." The with the and biotechnology company will continue to trade on the Over the enterprises, Professor Masters’ multidisciplinary Counter Bulletin Board. Bi Board

Joint Study Shows Genetically He indicated that the researchers, farmers and Modified Cotton Less Profitable policy-makers now needed to find ways to control the secondary pests by, for example, introducing natural in China predators of the mirids, or engineering a second A genetically modified (GM) cotton capable of generation of Bt cotton that kills the other pests. resisting bollworms has caused Chinese farmers to lose money after a seven-year trial because other pests Another idea is to use refuges, which are small have thrived, according to a joint study by Chinese pockets of land used to grow conventional cotton and U S researchers. alongside Bt cotton. The land can maintain a population of insects not exposed to the Bt toxin The study, the first to look at the longer-term and help prevent the development of toxin-resistant economic impact of GM cotton, was conducted by insects, according to the researchers. the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Cornell University in the Important Progress in Functional United States. Genomics Research Scientists reported their findings recently. The With support from the 863 Program in China, findings were likely to be controversial, said the important progress has been achieved in research on researchers, because it suggested that the Bt cotton, functional genomics such as microbe genomics, T. named for the Bacillus thuringiensis bacterial gene rubrum, and rice blast fungus. The cDNA library of it contains, did not live up to the agricultural success Six T. rubrum fungi in different growing phases has story predicted by some earlier studies. been established. 8,000 unique expressed sequence tags have been obtained. Three proteins which may “These results should send a very strong signal to be related to pathogenic gene have been identified. researchers and governments that they need to come Some genes common to T. rubrum fungi and shared up with remedial actions for the Bt-cotton farmers. by superficial fungi have been initially determined by Otherwise, these farmers will stop using Bt cotton, and means of gene chips. The cDNA library of rice blast at that would be very unfortunate,” said Per Pinstrup- various stages development and infection has been set Andersen, a Cornell professor who led the study. up. 100 brand new pieces of EST have been obtained. A mutant bank has been established that contains over The Bt gene inserted into the cotton seeds can 56,000 independent transformants. Two new rice blast produce toxins that are lethal to the leaf-eating pathogenic genes have also been cloned. bollworm, a major pest in cotton fields. In the seven- year survey, the researchers found that by year Promotion of China International three cotton farmers who had planted Bt cotton had Innovation Park of Biotechnology cut pesticide use by more than 70 percent and had earnings 36 percent higher than farmers planting and conventional cotton. A promotion was staged in Beijing recently, for the International Innovation Park of Bio-medicine But by 2004, they had to spray just as much Innovation in Tianjin’s Binhai New Area. At the as conventional farmers, which resulted in a net promotion, the Ministry of Science and Technology average income of 8 percent less than conventional (MOST) gave a briefing on the status quo of China’s cotton farmers, because Bt seed is triple the cost of bio-medical industry, the direction research and conventional seed. international cooperation in this field. The science After seven years, populations of other insects and technology committee of Tianjin city released such as mirids have increased so much that farmers background information, size, objectives of the are now having to spray their crops up to 20 times park as well as the policy measures to attract both a growing season to control them, according to the domestic and foreign bio-medical enterprises and R&D study of 481 Chinese cotton farmers. institutions, bio-medical HR, bio-medical technology, Bi Board

and bio-medical cooperation. The Bio-medical At present there are 8,700 full-time staff in the International Innovation Park was co-founded by 182 sate key labs that are in operation. 287 of the staff MOST and the city of Tianjin, with the participation are academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and cooperation of other government organs. It and the Chinese Academy of Engineering; 513 are plans to attract domestic and foreign bio-medical winners of the prize of “China National Outstanding enterprises and students and scholars studying abroad Youth Science Foundation under the National Natural and encourages all kinds of commercial and technical Science Foundation of China (NNSF), accounting for cooperation in the park. The park’s construction 34% of the total number of staff. In 2000-2004, NNSF includes R&D areas, incubation areas and industrial selected 96 “Excellent Innovative Research Teams”, areas. MOST and Tianjin municipality will soon host 48% of which were in state key labs. a number of promotions in the US to present the park and encourage foreign enterprises and overseas Chinese to come and start up their businesses in Steady Progress in China’s the park. Research on Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Chinese and British Experts With support from the 863 Program, there has been steady progress in research on stem cell and Break the Genetic Code tissue engineering technology in China. There has A team of Chinese and British medical experts have been obvious original innovation in the techniques concluded that the main cause of recurring human of tissue engineering tendon composition and the skin diseases is a genetic defect in the T-cells of the process of tissue engineering skin preparation. In immune system. In the hope of eradicating these skin terms of seed cell selection, the optimized seed cell of diseases, Chinese experts from Beijing Wuyi Hospital relevant products was determined through screening conducted a research program in collaboration with and comparison of the stem cell or equivalent cell a British medical team. They studied etiologies, from bone marrow, skin, sebum and cartilage and mechanisms and pathologies of long-standing skin the technologies for their passage, cultivation, diseases of different types, races and from various multiplication and appraisal were optimized. Major areas of the body. advance was made in a number of core technologies Currently tens of thousands of Chinese and such as material selection, preparation process and British patients are recovering from skin diseases correlated equipment, which played a vital role in using Wuyi T-cell immune restoration therapy. Now product R&D. Evident breakthrough was also achieved Beijing Wuyi Hospital has been chosen as the base for in the supporting technologies related to tissue a skin disease treatment program conducted by the engineering, such as low temperature preservation State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of product and bio-reactor technology. In addition, of China. the nucleus transplantation technology and body cell reprogramming also witnessed breakthrough progress. 6th Award of Prizes for Young Scientists of China CAS, Karolinska Institutet to th Recently, the 6 award of “Prizes for Young Strengthen Collaboration Scientists of China” has been announced in Beijing. It was organized by the Central Committee of the CAS Vice President Chen Zhu and Dean of Communist Youth League of China, the Chinese Research at Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Sweden, Jan Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Carlstedt-Duke, formally signed an agreement on all- Engineering and All-China Youth Federation. Four round cooperation between CAS and KI in Guangzhou, out of the ten prize winners were from state key capital of south China’s Guangdong Province. As one laboratories. of Europe’s largest medical universities, KI is also Bi Board

Sweden´s largest centre for medical training and largest manufacturer of pharmaceutical product, is research, accounting for 30 per cent of the medical hosting an event of such great magnitude which training and 40 per cent of the medical academic will bring together all sectors of the Indian pharma research that is conducted nationwide. CAS and KI has community—including the academic development, kept a closed collaborative relationship, with frequent manufacturing equipment and service supply visits of reserchers from both sides, fruitful training elements. Considering that India is now firmly on programs and cooperative research at the frontier the global pharmaceutical map, launching CPhI areas of theoretical studies. India was a natural step in developing the brand.”

CPhI and IPC is an interactive gathering for India CEOs and top executives, officers from regulatory India to Host CPHi — World’s departments, pharmacists from trade and profession, R&D personnel, pharmaceutical consultants, Largest Pharmaceutical hospital administrators, top officials of central Convention and state agencies, academicians and teachers. The world’s largest pharmaceutical convention on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, “Convention on Mr M Gandhi, Managing Director, CMP India, Pharmaceutical Ingredients (CPhI)”, organized jointly UBM India Pvt. Ltd, mentions, “Staging the first by CMP India & CMPi, is slated to debut in the Indian ever CPhI India in tandem with the 2006 IPC will sub-continent, alongside Indian Pharmaceutical significantly add to both events since they have long Congress, at the Bombay Exhibition CenteR, Goregaon been recognized as the primary networking event for (East), Mumbai, from 1st to 3rd December, 2006. the pharmaceutical industry. We believe that CPhI India and the IPC will deliver a stronger profile to event The 58th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress exhibitors and visitors giving them greater value and which is held annually every December is co- convenience. CPhI and IPC will present a golden platform located with CPhI India 2006. The congress had for international pharma companies looking to enter attracted over 20,000 visitors and 170 exhibitors in one of the world’s fastest-growing pharma markets.” Hyderabad. The Congress has long been recognized as the primary networking event in the Indian Dr Venkateswarlu, Chairman, LOC of 58th Indian pharma sector and also as the market’s leading Pharmaceutical Congress/ Deputy Drug Controller showcase for pharma machinery and equipments. India (west zone) said, “The 58th IPC will provide an

excellent platform for pharma professionals to update CPhI worldwide attracts an unrivalled 20,000 themselves with the latest technological developments industry professionals visiting some 1,500 exhibiting in the pharma sector and the exhibitors to showcase companies from over 110 countries. CPhI is the leading their products and learn about the future requirements exhibition on pharmaceutical ingredients and allied & services to potential clients. The exhibition will industries. Each year the exhibition grows larger provide a unique opportunity for international with exhibitors and visitors conducting significant visitors to learn more about India’s capabilities." levels of business at CPhI. Two sister events, ICSE and P-MEC now run alongside CPhI internationally, a tripartite of events that is considered a must attend Mr D. B. Mody, Chairman of Pharmexcil expressed event for any individual or organization within “With CPhI coming to India the pharmaceutical the pharmaceutical manufacturing community. industry certainly gets a platform to propagate itself on the international map & capitalize on the business Mr Christopher Eve, Sr. Vice President CMP Asia, opportunities. The Indian pharmaceutical industry has stated, “We are delighted that India, the world’s fourth a great potential to boost the Indian economy.” Bi Board

India has Approved a Phase II China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, South Study by Napo Pharmaceuticals Korea, Russia and Taiwan. of Crofelemer While this is happening around the world, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd has announced the Indian authorities are yet to upload any that the company has received approval from The information on Yoga in the much-hyped Traditional Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to initiate Digital Knowledge Library (TKDL) to protect India’s Phase II trials for its novel, in-licensed anti-diarrhoeal traditional knowledge on therapies. Plans are to product, crofelemer. The trial is expected to commence upload about 1500 pages on comprehensive Yoga in calendar 2006 and will involve sixty adult patients practice and its Asanas, which the authorities suffering from acute diarrhoea in a prospective, have been talking for the last two-three years. randomized, parallel group using a controlled double- blind placebo method. The trial will be concluded Most of these patents are on innovative equipment within three months from the start of dosing. The and support devises for Yoga meditation techniques Company signed a development and commercialization and exercises for a healthy living. Some other patents alliance with Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Napo) In are on breathing exercises to cure and avoid diseases. July 2005. Interestingly, majority of the claims cleverly avoid legacy on Yoga heritage to circumvent infringement. Under the terms of the agreement, the company However, details in the patent clearly indicate will be responsible for marketing crofelemer in over the claims are inspired from the various popular 140 countries, including India, for three indications, ‘asanas’ and techniques used in Yoga practice. viz. AIDS diarrhoea, infectious diarrhoea and paediatric diarrhoea. In return, the company will Global market for Yoga products and services are provide low-cost and large-scale manufacturing in valued around US$30 billion and the Americans FDA approved manufacturing facilities and upon spend about US$3 billion a year on yoga classes marketing will pay royalties ranging from high and products including clothes, vacations, DVDs and single digits to early teens on net sales to Napo. books, it is estimated. A recent USA Today report The company expects to launch the drug in 2008 quoting the Yoga Journal magazine says that 16.5 in the first territory. The company is also working million people practice yoga in US, an increase of 43 on a development plan for the other indications of per cent from 2002. AIDS related diarrhoea and paediatric diarrhoea.

Overseas Firms Granted India's Polio Outbreak Hundreds of Patents on Yoga There has been a polio outbreak in India recently. in US, Europe This year, India has recorded 137 cases of polio, with four fifths of them in the western part of Uttar Eyeing the huge potential in the burgeoning Pradesh, India's largest state. Last year, there was spiritual and wellness market across the globe, many a total of 66 cases across the country. With the overseas firms are taking patents on innovations monsoon-drenched months of July and August being related to Yoga, a four thousand years odd heritage the prime breeding time for the virus, the fear is that of India. The United State Patent & Trademark the numbers may balloon further. “ Right now. Five Office (USPTO) alone has allowed more than countries have been infected with the virus originating 150 patents related to Yoga already and another from India: Bangladesh, Nepal, Angola, Namibia 170 odd are in the pre-grant opposition stage. and Congo,” said Dr Jay Wenger, a World Health

Organisation specialist who runs India's National Similar patent applications have also been filed Polio Surveillance Program. in many other countries such as Australia, Canada,

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Indonesia selling product in the business year to next March, beating its flagship cholesterol-lowering Mevalotin. Bird Flu Cases in Indonesia Seven Indonesians from the same village on Sumatra were being treated for bird-flu symptoms Ono Pharm/Medarex Commences recently, in what doctors and officials fear could be Clinical Trials for Cancer Drug two new clusters of the virus. The patients, at least Japan’s Ono Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd said its US three of them children, are believed to have been partner Medarex Inc. has received approval from the infected by chickens in the same region of the island US Food and Drug Administration to conduct clinical where seven members of one family died in May. It trails of their experimental cancer drug ONO-4538/ was unclear if there is any connection. Blood tests still MDX-1106. The drug was created from collaboration have yet to confirm H5N1 virus infections, however agreed in May last year between Osaka-based Ono and these infected patients are currently being treated. biopharmaceutical firm Medarex. under the agreement, the two firms are working together in research and development of a human anti-PD-1 antibody, using Japan Ono’s intellectual property and Medarex’s human antibody development system. Eisai Commences US Legal Action Over Aricept Eisai Co Ltd and Eisai Inc announce that they Korea have filed a lawsuit against Mutual Pharmaceutical South Korea to Inject US$846M Co, Ltd. And United Research Laboratories Inc into Biotech Research regarding its submission of an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) to the FDA for Aricept South Korea plans to inject 800 billion won ODT(R) Orally Disintegrating Tablets (Active (US$846 million) this year to advance biotech research Ingredient Name: donepezil hydrochloride). Eisai’s and development (R&D) in the country by improving action was filed in the US District Court for the related infrastructure and supporting more projects. District of New Jersey in Newark recently. Eisai The figure marks an 18.9% year-on-year increase in believes that its donepezil composition patent is investment in this field. Out of the total, 648 billion valid until itsexpiration date of November 25, 2010. won will be earmarked for R&D projects, with the rest Eisai intends to vigorously enforce and defend to be used to boost the country’s basic infrastructure. that patent. In a government meeting of comprehensive biotech policies chaired by Minister of Science Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo Sues and Technology, Kim Woo-sik, government policymakers also approved the allocation of a Mylan over Drug Patent separate 430 billion won (US$400 million) aimed at Japan's Daiichi Sankyo Co is suing Mylan supporting stem-cell research and the establishment Laboratories Inc over the US company's plan to of a comprehensive database in this area. Through the launch what it says is a version of its key hypertensive endeavor, South Korea hopes it will become one of the drug Benicar. Daiichi Sankyo, Japan's second-largest world’s top three leading countries in stem cell research drug maker, said it has filed a patent infringement by 2015. At present, it is ranked sixth or seventh. lawsuit against the generic drug maker in a court in New Jersey. It said Mylan had filed a new drug Kim and other policymakers at the meeting said application with the US Food and Drug Administration that if all goes well, the country will be in a strong seeking to sell a generic version of Benicar. The position to control at least 10% of the stem-cell Japanese company expects Benicar to become its top- market in the cited period, despite a recent scandal Bi Board

caused by cloning expert Hwang Woo-suk, who is lead this effort. The BMS EXCO brings together key accused of having manipulated data to make false agencies such as A*STAR, the Ministry of Health, claims regarding what were previously believed to be the Ministry of Trade & Industry and the Ministry of his pioneering breakthroughs in stem cell research. Education. It will be chaired by A*STAR Chairman, Mr Philip Yeo, and co-chaired by Permanent Secretary Seoul, however, plans to put on hold further (PS) for Health, Ms Yong Ying-I. R&D work in embryonic stem cell research using human ova for the time being until legal and “The next five years will be an important ethical guidelines are established. Until this turning point for Singapore’s BMS efforts. We issue is resolved, authorities plan to only permit have created a strong base of basic biomedical research to be conducted on animal subjects. research capabilities and seeded initial efforts in translational research,” said A*STAR Chairman In addition, Seoul is moving to allocate 25.3 Mr Philip Yeo. “Moving forward, A*STAR will build billion won (US$263 million) to acquire original on this foundation and also partner with MOH to knowledge and patents in the merging of bio and encourage and enable the translation of our laboratory information technologies. This area is expected to discoveries into clinically useful and commercially have considerable growth potential. viable technologies and products that will advance human health. Such applications could include new diagnostic tests, novel drugs and treatments, as well Singapore as measures to prevent disease such as .” New Biomedical Sciences PS (Health) Ms Yong added, “A*STAR and MOH Executive Committee Established will work together to push Singapore to the forefront to Lead Phase 2 of Singapore’s of BMS by building on the collective strengths of its Biomedical Sciences Initiative vibrant research community and its sterling healthcare Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences (BMS) initiative system. Success in our BMS efforts will help to was launched in the middle of year 2000. The establish Singapore as a leader not only in scientific first five years have seen much success. Working and , but also in medical tourism with other agencies, A*STAR has established the and industry development. This will ultimately core infrastructure and scientific capabilities improve the quality of healthcare for Singaporeans.” for basic biomedical research. It has also put in place important programs to develop Singapore’s Professor Edward Holmes, a distinguished expert Human Capital for research. Parallel to this, EDB and thought leader in the field of translational and Biomedical Sciences Group (BMSG) and Bio*One clinical research from the University of California Capital have helped to attract a growing base of San Diego (UCSD) and the newly appointed Executive BMS companies to establish R&D operations in Deputy Chairman for Clinical Translational Sciences Singapore. In addition, the BMS manufacturing at A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) sector continues to grow from strength to strength. commented, “This marks an exciting period in Singapore’s BMS initiative, one that I am very Phase 2 (2006-2010) of Singapore’s BMS pleased to contribute to. The mandate of the new initiative will continue to strengthen Singapore’s EXCO is a challenging one as the transformation of foundation in basic sciences and concurrently add basic discoveries into actual clinical applications is a new focus on the development of capabilities a long and arduous process. But I am confident that in translational and clinical research, in order to Singapore is in an excellent position to succeed, having bring discoveries from the “bench” to the “bedside”. already accomplished much in the past five years.”

To this end, a new Biomedical Sciences Executive Three working groups will be established under Committee (BMS EXCO) has been constituted to the BMS EXCO to support this second phase. The Bi Board

Intellectual Capital Working Group will be chaired Cancer Doctor Honored by by Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Deputy President and American Society of Clinical Provost, NUS; and Deputy Chairman BMRC, A*STAR). Oncology It will address the issues of developing capabilities, resources and regulatory frameworks to support A doctor from National Cancer Center has won investigational medicine and clinical trials. It will also two awards from the American Society of Clinical identify and establish strategic flagship translational Oncology. Dr Tan Min-Han has won the Merit Award research programmes. In addition, the Working Group from the society twice in consecutive years. His will examine how to strengthen health services and first accolade was given last year after he came up public health research in close consultation with MOH. with a way of predicting cancer patient’s chances of recovery after surgery, so appropriated treatment The Human Capital Working Group will be could follow. Along with scientists from Japan and chaired by Professor John Wong (Dean, Yong Loo the US, Dr Tan examined a particular gene linked to Lin School of Medicine, NUS) and it will establish a blood vessel growth and found that its mutation was strategy to develop a sustainable cohort of doctors, behind about half the kidney cases. When mutated, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and scientists with the the gene no longer coordinates the formation of blood requisite basic and advanced training to support vessel. Instead, it causes them to go haywire and our efforts in translational and clinical research. grow into malignant tumors. The existence of this The Working Group will also review policies and mutated gene prolonged the lives of patients. Dr Tan define mechanisms to accelerate the recruitment and concluded that if cancer treatments have been based retention of top clinical research talent in Singapore. on interrupting blood vessel growth “this concept should be reconsidered.” The Infrastructure Working Group will be chaired by Mr Philip Yeo and it will identify gaps and strengthen the physical and scientific infrastructure including Taiwan key technologies needed to support Singapore’s Taiwan Considering Medicine BMS efforts. Research Center Proposal The Taiwan National Science Council (NSC) is Singapore Scientists Finds Gene exploring setting up a 700-bed clinical medicine that Causes Blindness in Kids research center in various hospitals and medical centers, rather than building a completely new facility Scientists from Singapore have identified a gene at the Chubei Biomedical Park in Hsinchu County. The that causes a rare congenital blindness in children original plan to set up a 700-bed research center in which may give clues to why the elderly lose their the Chubei park was being reviewed in terms of cost sight. The team from Singapore Eye Research Institute and feasibility. The center, designed to help evaluate (SERI) started its research after director Donald Tan the medical effects of and technology operated on a 12 year old boy in Myanmar two years developed by firms in the park, was originally ago. The boy had three other blind siblings known considered a vital part of the council’s plan to build as congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy. By the park into a regional bio-medical power base. examining blood samples from all four, the team identified the gene responsible for turning off a If the experiences of large local hospitals are any protein needed to keep the cornea functioning guide, Chen said, a clinical medicine research center properly. The team's discovery was published in of that scale would need to include various hospital Nature Genetics recently. departments in order to be feasible financially. Bi Board

Chen said it would be much cheaper to have several including: 8 cases (5 deaths) in Azerbaijan, 2 cases hospitals with the status of regional medical centers, (2 deaths) in Cambodia, 11 cases (7 deaths) in China, such as the National Taiwan University Hospital and 1 case (0 death) in Djibouti, 14 cases (6 deaths) in the Tri Service General Hospital -- run research centers Egypt, 37 cases (31 deaths) in Indonesia, 2 cases with 100 or 200 beds each. An independent center (2 deaths) in Iraq, 1 case (1 death) in Thailand and for clinical medical research would have difficulty 12 cases (4 deaths) in Turkey. surviving financially, Chen added. The proposed Chubei park will house biotechnology firms devoted to the development of medical equipment such as Bangladesh medical imaging technology, as well as other medical Bangladesh Immunizes Millions products, while the development of new drugs should for Polio be the responsibility of Academia Sinica, Chen said. The clinical research center has been at the center Hundreds of thousands of health workers and of a controversy, with Su Ih-jen, former chief of the volunteers fanned out across Bangladesh recently Center for Disease Control, saying last month that it in an effort to immunize 24 million children against was a pork-barrel project. Partnering vital to biotech polio after the disease recently resurfaced About industry: experts 700,000 workers gave two drops of oral vaccine to children under 5 throughout the country in the The importance of partnering to expand the Asia- UN backed campaign. Ten cases of the disease have Pacific biotechnology industry was highlighted by been diagnosed in Bangladesh since March. four speakers at the afternoon session of the 2006 Bangladesh is one of five countries that had APEC Biotechnology Conference yesterday at the eradicated the paralyzing virus but have seen new Grand Hyatt Hotel. cases since late last year. World health officials, Representatives of the biotechnology industry worried about polio’s continued spread, point to India from New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Israel as the source of the latest outbreaks. stressed cooperation among Asia-Pacific countries to New cases have shown up in Nepal—like Bangladesh, successfully bridge the gap between academic research a neighbor of India—and three African countries, and commercialization of biotechnology. Unlike its Angola, Congo and Namibia. Two more vaccination U.S. and European counterparts, the budding industry campaigns will be held in November and December, faced many constraints in the Asia-Pacific. Kibria said.

The United Nations Children's Fund and the Thailand World Health Organization helped Bangladesh carry Avian Influenza in Thailand out extensive polio vaccination campaigns in 1995- 2004, and the country's last case was thought to A 17-year-old man had been confirmed H5N1 have occurred in August 2000.The new vaccinations avian influenza in Thailand recently. The patient were assisted by the Global Polio Eradication developed symptoms on 15 July, was hospitalized Campaign—a partnership among UNICEF, Rotary on 20 July and died on 24 July 2006. Since 2006, International, WHO and the US Centers for Disease the WHO confirmed a total of 88 cases worldwide, Control and Prevention, Kibria said.