Company News
•  Extension Study for Virax's HIV Drug Granted
•  Virax and New York Blood Center to Develop HBV Treatment
•  Novogen's Promensil Decreases Frequency and Severity of Hot Flushes
•  Metabolic's Obesity Drug Completes Single Dose Phase 2A Trial
•  Ranbaxy Gets US Nod to Market Terazosin Hydrochloride Capsules
•  Cipla in Talks with South African Firm to Supply AIDS Drugs
•  Olympus Launches System for Analysis of Biomolecular Interactions
•  Yamanouchi Gives Up Acquisition of Approval of Osteoporosis Drug
•  Ono-manufactured Pranlukast Capsule Launched in Mexico
•  Additional Clinical Trials for Shionogi's Anti-depressant Drug
•  Genomine Inc.
•  Peptron Inc.

Rules & Regulations
•  Approval of First GM Canola Trial in Australia
•  Human Cloning Banned in Australia
•  China Issues New Regulation to Weed out Fake Drugs
•  Policy Urges Indian Scientists to Focus on Patentable Biomedical R&D
•  Public Comment on Cassava and Glucose Oxidase Solicited
•  NZ Ministry of Health Releases MRSA Guidelines

Research News
•  Novel Approach to Malaria Vaccine
•  Australian Bionic Eye about to Begin Human Trials
•  Discovery of Upregulated Enzyme in Damaged Brain Tissue
•  Cataract Gene Uncovered by Chinese Scientists
•  Study Shows HK 1997 Flu Originates from Single Mutation
•  Ten Percent Japanese have Gene Mutation Tied to Abnormal Clotting
•  Correlation between Electromagnetism and Leukemia
•  Womb Nutrition Critical to Later Health
•  Study Shows Asthma is Needlessly Tolerated
•  New Treatment for Heart Failure
•  Taiwan's New Rice Strain Holds Promise
•  Parental Habits Affects Children's Weight

General Information & Statistics
•  Australian Doctors Given Web Access
•  Funding for Health and Medical Research Projects
•  Scientist to Look into Farm Animals' Immune Systems
•  China's Biotech Industry Develops Rapidly
•  Chinese-made AIDS Drug Available Soon
•  China Uses Speedy and Cheap AIDS Test
•  Japan Institute to Look into Problem Proteins
•  Japan's Fifth Mad Cow Disease Case
•  GMOs Found in Japan's Organic Soybeans
•  Korea and China Set to Cooperate on Bio Sector
•  BioMalaysia 2002 to Kick off in Kuala Lumpur
•  Combating NZ's Meningococcal Epidemic
•  Taiwan's Drinking Yogurt Contains Too Much Sugar
•  Taiwan Sets up Training Center for Foreign Doctors

Personality Profile
•  Vilayanur S. Ramachandran

Trends and Prospects
•  Australian Biotech Firms Face Financing Crisis
•  Next GM Cotton Variety Promises Greater Pesticide Reductions
•  Processing Industry Fueling China's Agricultural Development
•  Moratorium on GE Products Hurts NZ's Biotech Sector

Patent News
•  Starpharma Obtains Another US Nanotech Patent
•  Patent for "Hearing Teeth" Developed by Chinese Inventor

Calendar of Events
•  A comprehensive listing of upcoming biotechnology conferences in Asia-Pacific