New Drug Policy Suggested for Indian
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CONTENTS POLICIES AND REGULATIONS POLICIES & REGULATIONS China Sets Goals for Science and 430 China Set Goals for Science and Technology Technology 430 New Drug Policy Suggested for Indian Pharmaceutical Industry Further to the October announcement of its national goals for agriculture, the Chinese government has set its goals for the science and technology development COMPANY NEWS for the world’s most populous nation. These goals will be part of the Proposal for 431 Canon and Agfa Form Alliance in Formulating the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001–2005) for National Economic and Medical Imaging Social Development. 432 Australian Cardiac Company Awarded for In the next five years, China will focus on innovation and commercialization Achievements in R&D of scientific discoveries as the main thrust in science and technology (S&T). Ms 432 Dabur Foods to Expand Portfolio Zhu Lilan, the minister for S&T, made the announcement at the closing session of 432 Nycomed Amersham Opens New Plant in Shanghai a three-day national conference on S&T held in Beijing. She also said that 433 NZ Markets Fruit Grading Machine commercialization and practical application of new technologies are important 433 Singapore Company Offers Hospitals factors in the development of the Chinese economy. Information technology, Outsourcing Services biotechnology, new materials, advanced manufacturing technologies and space technology will be the key areas to invest in. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE The Chinese government will continue structural reform of the S&T sector in 433 Indian President Calls for Research into order to build up a new system that is compatible with a market economy. It will Traditional Medicines also encourage multi-lateral collaborations with foreign R&D institutions to promote 434 Chinese Medicine is Not Biotech, Says interaction and enhance R&D capabilities of local firms and institutions. HK Academic 434 Eastern Herbal Cures for Asthma The Ministry will speed up the construction of high-tech development parks Disputed and improve on their infrastructure so as to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The Ministry will cultivate a more conducive environment for high-tech ventures, RESEARCH NEWS particularly start-ups and other small and medium-sized enterprises. 429 Karolinska Institute to Start Research Human resource development is a key area that the Chinese government will Program in Singapore 434 Singapore University Finds Quick Test be building up. The education system would be “modernized” to encourage for Enteroviruses innovation and emphasize applications of R&D. It will continue its present policy 435 China to Invest in Biochip Research of sending Chinese scholars overseas for further study who will later return to 435 China Produces New Anti-AIDS Drug serve in their motherland. More efforts will also be put in to attract experts 435 Blood Clot Cleared with Unique Method and skilled labor from overseas markets to build a strong and vibrant technology 435 Chinese Scientists Develop Method to sector. Reduce Hep B Occurrence in Newborns 436 HK Study Finds New Lupus Treatment Has Lesser Side Effects 436 New Sorghum Variety Released in India New Drug Policy Suggested for Indian 436 Korean Scientists Develop GM Rice 437 High Iron Levels “Rust” Blood Vessels Pharmaceutical Industry 437 Takeda Develops More Efficient Method to Detect Endocrine Disrupter The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) has suggested the establishment of 437 Japanese Companies to Jointly Develop a new drug policy which will facilitate the setting up of a development and Genetic Drugs regulatory authority for the pharmaceutical industry. This was mentioned by the general secretary of IPA, Mr. D G Shah, recently. Mr. Shah said that the IPA will GENERAL INFORMATION & STATISTICS be meeting officials from the Ministries of Health, Finance, Commerce and Industry 438 Positive Outlook for NZ’s Agriculture and to accelerate the introduction of the new drug policy. Forestry Sectors In its report on modifications in drug policy to the government, the IPA said 439 Osteoporosis Rate in HK Highest in that a new development and regulatory authority similar to the Telecom Regulatory Asia-Pacific Authority of India and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority would 439 Indian Dairy Board Ventures into Biotech help create convergence for the pharmaceutical industry. This means that the Projects functions of various pharmaceutical authorities could be brought together under 439 HGP More Significant Than Space one agency. Exploration According to industry sources, the current policy framework for pharmaceutical CALENDAR OF EVENTS industries is weak, inadequate and does not cater for recent developments. ese Companies to Jointly Develop tic Drugs 430 APBN • Vol. 4 • No. 23 • 2000 APBNV4N23 430 11/13/00, 11:22 AM ASIA-PACIFIC BI TECHNEWS COMPANY NEWS COMPANY NEWS Canon and Agfa Form Alliance in Medical Imaging Canon Inc. has recently closed a deal to supply digital- Fuji is currently the world leader, taking up to 60 percent radiography system for medicine to Agfa Gevaert NV, the of the market and experiencing a healthy growth rate of largest film maker in Europe. Both companies hope that the 10 percent each year. Canon, on the other hand, has to alliance will break Fuji Photo Film’s dominance in the medical share the rest of the pie with other players. Canon will radiography market. distribute the new product in Japan and hopes to tap Agfa’s Canon Film Medical Co., Canon’s wholly-owned strong sales presence in Europe and US to penetrate the global subsidiary, has developed a new technology for its digital- market. radiography device. A fluorescent substance is used to convert Presently, digital-radiography systems are mostly used in X-rays into light, and the signals are then directed to a flat- larger, more established hospitals. However, as new technology panel sensor. Unlike conventional radiography that uses film, renders the equipment more compact and mobile, the potential Canon’s technology uses digital information which can be for growth is expected to be large as smaller hospitals and easily transmitted and shared by computer networks. even clinics are able install them. Comparison between Canon Film Medical Co. and Fuji Photo Film’s Radiographic Products Canon Fuji • A fluorescent body is used to convert X-rays into light, • The radiography system uses a laminar fluorescent which is then read by a flat-panel sensor using substance to record X-rays as analog data, which then amorphous silicon. reads that data by applying laser beams to the fluorescent substance. This data is then digitized into images. • Process of photography to image display takes ~3 secs. • Entire process takes over twice as long as Canon’s. • Laser-irradiation unit not required. • The fluorescent substance can be detached from the laser irradiation unit and combined with a compact X- ray irradiator. • Digital images can be shared via computer networks, • Equipment tends to be more bulky and not so mobile. and device may be installed in vehicles, e.g. ambulances. APBNV4N23 431 11/13/00, 11:22 AM Australian Cardiac Company Dabur Foods to Expand Awarded for Achievements Portfolio in R&D Indian company, Dabur Foods is actively seeking new product opportunities, in order to expand its existing portfoilo. MicroMedical Industries has been awarded special The chief executive officer and director of the company, Mr. recognition by Australia’s Industry Research and Development Amit Burman, said that the company is looking into ethnic Board for its achievements in research and development (R&D) Indian foods to supplement its existing product range. on a range of cardiac e-health devices and their commercial applications. He mentioned that Dabur has initiated a nationwide study to look into the consumer’s preferred choice of foods. The A special mention was made of MicroMedical’s latest study is conducted by an established market research product — an artificial heart — which is touted as the world’s company. From the results of this study, it will decide which most advanced. The VentrAssist artificial heart, which is as products to develop. small as a child’s fist, is made of titanium and has only one moving part. As it has no valves, seals, shafts or bearings, Dabur Foods has been incurring losses for more than serious side effects such as blood damage and clotting can two years. The company is expected to break even this be reduced. It is so small that it can be used in both children year following cost cutting measures and better logistics and adults alike. The product has successfully undergone a management. series of animal trials and human trials are scheduled to start next year. Another feather in MicroMedical’s cap is its Biolog heart Nycomed Amersham Opens monitor, which has been used on board US space shuttles to monitor astronauts’ heart conditions. New Plant in Shanghai “Our products are keenly sought after, particularly in the Shanghai Nycomed Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. — a new United States, Britain and Canada, where several of the world’s pharmaceutical plant — has been established in Shanghai. largest airliners have bought our Biolog heart monitor, which The US$34 million plant is a joint venture among Nycomed also went on board the US space shuttle so NASA could Amersham plc., Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park monitor the astronauts’ ECGs while in space,” revealed Development Co., and Shanghai Huai Hai Pharmaceutical MicroMedical’s CEO, Dr. John Woodard. Factory. The three partners hold 80 percent, 13 percent and Besides these products, the company has developed 7 percent share of the company respectively. communications technology that enables ECGs to be sent The plant, which occupies a total area of 20 000 square from a commercial aircraft to anywhere in the world for meters, is situated in the Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park in the analysis, and a software that allows doctors to download Pudong area. The company has a long term lease on the ECG data to computer, store on disk or e-mail to another premises and there is ample room for expansion in the future.