Major vaccine manufacturing facility opens in Victoria
Moderna has opened the Southern Hemisphere’s only mRNA vaccine manufacturing site in Victoria, aiming to make 100 million doses a year.
Details
WA boosts venture capital fund to $45 million
The Western Australian government has allocated $45 million in venture capital funding to supercharge local start-ups. Seven venture capital firms have been selected following a Request for Proposal, and will be supported to invest through the state government’s WA Venture Capital initiative (WAVC). The partnership will see the chosen firms invest a total of $150…
Details
Mesoblast drug gets approval from FDA, but shares drop
Pharmaceutical developer Mesoblast’s Revascor (rexlemestrocel-L) drug for children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has been granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Earlier this year FDA granted REVASCOR both Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) and Orphan-Drug Designation (ODD) for congenital heart disease, acknoeledging that the disrase is…
Details
HLTCRC maps out heavy industry net zero transition
The Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition Co-operative Research Centre (HILT CRC) has launched a flagship three-year project on energy infrastructure to help guide heavy industry decarbonisation. The project will provide clear, data-driven estimates of energy costs to inform government policy and enable heavy industry to plan its decarbonisation pathway. ‘Unlocking investment in energy infrastructure for net-zero…
Details
DroneShield receives $8m order, further announcement expected
Drone detection and countermeasure manufacturer DroneShield announced an $8.2 million repeat order this morning from a European defence customer. However, trading in the company’s shares on the ASX was then paused, pending a further announcement. DroneShield said that delivery of the latest order to a major European government agency was expected in the next three…
Details
AstraZeneca orders four more APAS Independence instruments
Drug manufacturer AstraZeneca has ordered four more APAS Independence laboratory instruments from AI microbiology automation manufacturer Clever Culture Systems, formally known as LBT Innovations. The order, worth $3.1 million over seven years, adds to the five APAS instruments already in use by the global pharmaceutical company, where they monitor for bacterial contamination in the company’s…
Details
Bioplastics uses confused by lack of labelling – CSIRO
Growing environmental concerns have driven a surge in bioplastics, but unclear labelling for disposal is creating challenges, according to a new report from CSIRO. The State of bioplastics in Australia report found consumer confusion over bioplastics, with many bioplastic items ending up in landfill or contaminating recycling and composting streams. Plastics derived from fossil fuels…
Details
Alpha HPA progresses aluminium chemicals plans, plans Canadian facility
Aluminium chemicals company Alpha HPA is in production of battery metals precursor materials at its stage 1 plant at Gladstone, Queensland and construction of the company’s Stage 2 commercial plant is well underway, according to an investor update. Now the company producing aluminium materials for high tech industry has turned its attention to the development…
Details
UNSW proton battery could store at grid scale
An eco-friendly, high-performance organic battery is being developed by scientists at UNSW Sydney. A team of scientists at UNSW Chemistry have successfully developed an organic material that is able to store protons, and used it to create a rechargeable proton battery in the lab. By leveraging hydrogen ions – protons – instead of traditional lithium,…
Details
Troubled Whyalla steelworks to restart within a week – Koutsantonis
The South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and Minister for Energy and Mining Tom Koutsantonis has held an ‘urgent meeting’ with operators of the troubled Whyalla steelworks, emerging confident that the blast furnace would be up and running within a week. However Koutsantonis has ‘grave concerns’ about unpaid bills, according to media reports, with…
Details