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New Zealand Trade and
Enterprize
NZ scientists hit AusBiotech
Australian and New Zealand
biotechnologists are revealing their latest work at the 2007 Australian
Biotechnology Conference – AusBiotech – in Brisbane this week.
“We’re taking advantage of the
best of New Zealand and Australian science to solve real world problems, and to
build profitable biotech companies,” says Chris Boalch, New Zealand Trade and
Enterprise Sector Director of Biotechnology.
The New Zealanders will be
talking about a host of applications. Highlights include:
Monday 22
October 2007
Tuesday 23 October 2007
About New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand
Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand government’s national economic
development agency. Through its global network of offices, NZTE provides
businesses, organisations and investors with access to quality New Zealand goods
and services and a gateway to partnerships with New Zealand businesses and
investment opportunities in New Zealand.
For
further information contact
Deborah Prior
Marketing & Communications Manager AusPac, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
+61 412 129 855
Deborah.Prior@nzte.govt.nz
More
information:
AgResearch has developed a
stab and flame resistant vest made using knitted Vectran, a non-cut,
ultra-high-strength liquid crystal polymer based fabric, which is combined with
short wool fibre that is packed into the outer fabric surface.
The
fabric resists puncture or knife penetration, is lightweight, comfortable to
wear and has dual benefits of the breathability and comfort of wool and the
puncture resistance of Vectran. The fabric is suitable for casual vests or
jackets.
The
fabric, whilst not being bullet proof, is able to resist penetration by a knife
and is also cut resistant. Wool, a natural protein fibre, is flame resistant
and when exposed to severe heat will char into carbon but will not ignite. This
carbon then forms a protective barrier against further heat.
The
Vectran yarns will hold this carbon in place, making the fabric capable of
withstanding severe temperature ‘flashover’ without causing serious injury to
the wearer or undue damage to the inherent fabric integrity.
An
alternative stab, cut and fire resistant material, the fabric provides a level
of comfort not usually associated with protective clothing and helps protect the
wearer from the changing and sometimes hostile world we live in.
Having
developed the fabric AgResearch is currently seeking development partners to
tailor the fabric to the unique needs of individual clients.
For the
whole story click here.
Dunedin-based biotechnology company, Orico Limited, in conjunction with New
Zealand’s largest Crown Research Institute, AgResearch and the University of
Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Biosciences, is leading the development of
a ground-breaking new therapy which could significantly benefit the sufferers of
muscle wasting conditions, such as muscular dystrophy.
A
particularly distressing disease of young children, which is currently
incurable, muscular dystrophy affects one in 3,500 male children at a young age
and leads rapidly to confinement to a wheelchair and finally, to premature
death.
Decades
of global R&D investment has yet to lead to an effective therapy for the disease
and Orico’s Chief Executive, Dr Rob Bower, says there is a huge worldwide market
for a treatment that can benefit sufferers.
‘It is
a very exciting prospect for our company to be on the brink of developing a
therapy for such a large unmet medical need. If successful, we believe our
therapy will significantly reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life
of muscular dystrophy sufferers and that is a very satisfying proposition, both
commercially and professionally.”
Dr
Bower is a co-author of findings published recently in the American Society of
Gene Therapy’s journal, Molecular Therapy. “Publication in such a prestigious
international journal acknowledges the significance of our findings and gives us
confidence that investment in the further development of the therapy will be an
attractive proposition as we enter pre-clinical toxicity tests next year and
Phase I human clinical trials in 2009,” he says.
The
publication describes a world-first: an ‘antagonist’ drug that promotes muscle
regeneration by temporarily interrupting the function of myostatin, the protein
that negatively regulates muscle growth in animals and humans. The antagonist
is based on a peptide, so is anticipated to have fewer side-effects than a
conventional drug, as peptides are known to be highly specific in action.
Significantly, the team demonstrated that application of Orico’s antagonist drug
to aging mice, suffering from sarcopenia, a muscle wasting condition associated
with old-age, resulted in a massive increase in muscle strength – up to 15 per
cent in mice with an equivalent human age of 65.
“Old
age happens to all of us. If we can find a way of keeping muscles stronger in
the elderly, we can improve quality of life and prevent falls and broken bones.
This will save much suffering and rehabilitation time, in addition to reducing
costs in the health care sector by lowering hospital admissions and shortening
in-patient stays,” says Dr Bower.
The
same beneficial mechanism observed in the aged mice study is also believed to be
responsible for the effects observed by the researchers during additional trials
in mouse models of muscular dystrophy.
Over
the next few months the researchers will refine the antagonist further to
improve its efficiency and stability. Orico, which is owned by Wool Equities
Limited and AgResearch, will in parallel be reviewing its capital needs and
funding options.
ESR is
a government owned science organisation in New Zealand. Its science underpins
the New Zealand health and justice sectors. ESR also undertake commercial work
in a number of areas including pharmaceuticals and workplace drug testing
Low
copy number forensic techniques
ESR
opened the first low copy number forensic laboratory in the southern hemisphere.
The first case processed in the laboratory was undertaken for Australian police
in the Norfolk Island murder
Ten
years ago, a large bloodstain the size of a NZ 50cent coin was thought to be the
minimum amount of sample required for successful DNA analysis. Now, a mere
smudge, such as a nose-print against a glass or even invisible samples can give
a DNA result that can be linked to an offender.
Low
copy number (LCN) enables forensic scientists to get a DNA sample from just a
few cells meaning profiles can be obtained from trace and invisible samples such
as touch on a keyboard or a nose print on glass. LCN amplifies a DNA sample
through 34 cycles compared to 28 for the current standard method. This
essentially means a 50-fold increase in sensitivity.
LCN
began as a joint venture in 2000 between the UK Forensic Science Service (FSS)
and New Zealand's ESR, when an ESR Forensic Scientist worked with FSS scientists
and developed patented methodology.
ESR’s
new Low Copy Number DNA laboratory and expertise in trace DNA analysis was
utilised for a high profile Norfolk Island homicide case. Australian Federal
Police sought ESR’s cutting edge technology in the case of Janelle Patton,
murdered on the island on Easter Sunday 2002, the first homicide on Norfolk
Island for 150 years.
ESR’s
scientists were able to obtain a DNA profile corresponding to the murder victim
from a sample extract from the boot of the accused’s car, supporting the
prosecution case that Glenn McNeill had killed Miss Patton and then moved her
body by car to another location. In March this year Mr McNeill, a 29-year-old
chef, was convicted of murdering Janelle Patton. Ms Sue Vintiner said it was the
first case in which evidence analysed in ESR’s new LCN laboratory had been
presented in court.
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For
more information, contact Alison Corich, Communications and Marketing
Manager ESR, +64 (4) 914 0694, mobile +64 (274) 209434,
Alison.Corich@esr.cri.nz
forensicGEMTM
ESR has
collaborated with biotech company ZyGEM in the development of forensicGEMTM - a
product developed for extracting human DNA from crime scene samples. The product
formulation is based on an enzyme extracted from bacteria discovered in
Antarctica by New Zealand scientists.
ESR’s
involvement included the development of a DNA extraction prototype kit for use
by forensic laboratories around the world and the validation of forensicGEMTM”
Because the enzyme is simple and quick to use it has potential to be used on
site at high volume crime scenes such as burglaries and car thefts. 's simple to
use and doesn't require sophisticated laboratory equipment.
International DNA expert and ESR senior scientist Dr Sally-Ann Harbison said
that currently forensic crime scene investigators collect evidence at a crime
scene and take them back to the laboratory for sample processing and analysis.
However
forensic scientists expect that in the next few years we will be working out of
'labs in a box' - where we can start processing and generating some profiles at
a scene in real time - perhaps even providing police with possible suspects and
eliminating others while we are at the scene of a crime, within hours of the
crime being committed.
"forensicGEMTM
could potentially be an important tool in a mobile laboratory kit."The speed of
the extraction saves time and the minimal sample handling required reduces the
potential for contamination and sample handling error," she said
ESR
scientists also tested the enzyme on different biological stains on a range of
commonly encountered forensic samples to see how it performs against current
standard DNA extraction processes. ESR is also developing standard operating
procedures for forensicGEMTM.
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For
more information, contact Alison Corich, Communications and Marketing
Manager ESR, +64 (4) 914 0694, mobile +64 (274) 209434,
Alison.Corich@esr.cri.nz
New Zealand company a2 have
developed milk which they claim is significantly healthier than conventional
milk. And they’re marketing it in Australia, the US, the UK and New Zealand.
They’re at AusBiotech to discuss their milk, its benefits and opportunities for
collaboration.
ESR’s
toxicology laboratories are increasingly undertaking hair analysis to determine
methamphetamine use.
Most
drug tests involve analysis of blood or urine, but this can only detect
substances that have been taken quite recently. Hair analysis, carried out by
ESR, can detect the use of drugs many months later.
ESR
toxicologist Dr Stuart Dickson said the testing for methamphetamine was usually
conducted for New Zealand child Youth and Family (a government agency) at the
direction of the Court.
“Hair
analysis can be very useful in these situations, because it can provide
scientific evidence in an area that can usually otherwise only be argued about,
often at length. Of people who do proceed to a hair test, we find
methamphetamine in about a third of them, so it is quite significant,” he said.
In
addition to methamphetamine and other amphetamine-type stimulants ESR can test
for opiate drugs such as morphine and has recently modified methods to enable
testing for BZP, the active ingredient in party pills. Research is continuing to
refine methods and to extend them to detect additional drugs.
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For
more information, contact Alison Corich, Communications and Marketing
Manager ESR, +64 (4) 914 0694, mobile +64 (274) 209434,
Alison.Corich@esr.cri.nz
Date
rape drugs - hair analysis
ESR
has initiated world-leading research with New Zealand company Isotrace to use
a novel approach to detect a date rape drug, GHB, in hair.
Methods
have also been developed to investigate other cases of drug facilitated sexual
assault.
“We did
a study where we looked at drug levels in the hair of people who had been
prescribed sedatives. We had a person who had taken a single dose, and we
certainly were able to find the drug in the hair and nail clippings - although
the levels were much lower than in people who had been prescribed the medication
for a period of some years," said Dr Dickson
This
approach enabled ESR to detect a drug in hair collected 17 months after a drug
facilitated sexual assault.
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For
more information: Alison Corich, Communications and Marketing Manager ESR,
+64 (4) 914 0694, mobile +64 (274) 209434,
Alison.Corich@esr.cri.nz
In a world first, New Zealand’s AgResearch scientists have developed a
lightweight, pure wool machine washable shirting fabric that is made shrink
resistant without the use of any chemicals and also has high natural stretch and
a lively drape.
The Natural Easy Care (NEC) fabric was developed by researchers from
AgResearch’s Textiles Group, based at Lincoln near Christchurch, for client
Australian Wool Innovations (AWI).
Traditionally, wool has not been used for business shirting fabric because it
has to be lightweight. To enable weaving, two single yarns are plied together
but they become too thick to use for garments such as shirts.
The NEC fabric utilises a single worsted yarn which is created by specially
designed rollers that are easily retro-fitted to an existing spinning frame. The
grooved rollers split the wool strand into micro-yarns which are made up of well
interlocked fibres. The resulting single yarn has improved surface abrasion
resistance, to withstand the stresses and strains imposed during weaving, and
can be woven into a light-weight fabric.
For the whole story click
here.
Green fuels from grass
New Zealand and US researchers are exploring the potential for the entire
New Zealand vehicle fleet to run on biofuels from trees and grass.
AgResearch New Zealand, Verenium and Scion are
working on converting cellulose from trees and grass into bio-ethanol.
Cellulose is found in nearly all plant life and
is the most abundant organic molecule on earth. Until recently scientists have
found it uneconomic to convert cellulose into ethanol. Verenium scientists are
working to make the process more economically viable through the use of
genetically modified enzymes.
No dags: easy care sheep
Mulesing, the widely used but controversial technique which prevents fly-strike
in sheep and has outraged animal activists the world over, could be made
obsolete with the breeding of a new line of low cost, easy care sheep.
The sheep, bred by Australian scientist Dr
David Scobie at AgResearch in New Zealand, have no wool on the head, legs, belly
or breech, and naturally short tails.
An analysis of the benefits of breeding the
sheep for one farmer showed that if his entire flock was low-cost easy care,
wool income would fall by $1,800 but costs would be slashed by more than $10,000
per annum.
Man down – clothes that
report on their wearer’s health
AgResearch New Zealand has developed a ’SMART Singlet’ a concept garment for
military use. It is made from a braided Dyneema (the strongest fibre in the
world) sheath and knitted into a vest that is wired with electrical circuitry to
trigger a transmitter. If the wearer is incapacitated – perhaps shot – a built
in radio transmitter sends a signal to HQ notifying them that a soldier is down.
Early next year farmers in Mossman in Far North
Queensland will harvest Australia’s first commercial cocoa crop. A few months
later the first 100% Australian chocolate will be on the market.
Horizon Science’s 100% owned subsidiary, Cocoa
Australia Pty Ltd – the people behind the initiative – are planning to transform
the world of cocoa production and create an integrated business from plantation
to consumer.
Already, they are selling premium wine
chocolates under the Cocoa Farm brand, produced with increased antioxidants from
grape seeds and skin.
In the future they will be looking to
specialist chocolates made with Wholemeal Sugar ™ which has a low GI and is rich
in sugar cane and cocoa antioxidants and other beneficial bioactive compounds.
For the full story click
here.
Bones from wool, a gel to fight HIV – your
project could be next.
The New Zealand Government is offering grants to back biotech collaboration
between Australia and New Zealand. They’re looking for new ideas to back – with
grants from NZ$10,000 to NZ$2 million available.
Previous investments include:
- A patented bone graft technology using
Functional Keratin™, a structural protein extracted from wool.
- A drug (VivaGelTM ) designed to prevent
genital herpes and HIV-AIDS infections. The drug is now being tested in clinical
studies and has been granted Fast Track status by the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) which will accelerate the clinical and regulatory process.
- A drug targeting spinal cord injury and
multiple sclerosis.
For the whole story click
here
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