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ACTIP Bulletin 21 August 2000 |
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In this issue:
Available:
Abstracts vacccine projects The book of abstracts of projects
on vaccine development is available. It covers the projects selected
for funding following the 1st call for proposals in Key Action
2, Control of Infectious Diseases. http://dbs.cordis.lu/EN-GLOBALsearch.html and use as search terms the project
numbers, i.e. QLK2. You will then get a list of project titles,
and can click on for more info. Select the project(s) you are
interested in from this list and ask the ACTIP Secretariat to
send you the corresponding abstracts. You may also request the
ACTIP Secretariat for a full copy of the entire book of abstracts.
EU:
more than 1, 350 biotech companies The rate at which new biotech
companies are being created in Europe is astounding. In 1999,
the number of biotech companies in Europe increased by 15% to
1,351. Much of the recent increase has been focused on Germany,
where the number of biotech companies has risen by over 150%,
demonstrating the impact of the German government's initiatives
to promote biotech. Germany has now surpassed the UK as the country
with the most biotech companies, but UK is still leading in the
product pipeline, reflecting the maturity of its biotech industry.
Some figures will demonstrate the vigour of today's European
biotech companies: Number of biotech companies: Product pipeline of European
public companies: Source: Ernst & Young, from
thought to finish. European Life Sciences Report 2000.
...and
Germany also leading in patents According to new research from
Derwent Information, Germany is streets ahead of the UK and other
countries in biotechnology innovation. The study addresses patent
applications in 1998 and 1999 in a number of EU countries. For
example, in 1999, the total percentage of biotechnology patent
applications from researchers from the UK was 22%, while the
percentage for German researchers was 40%. Researchers from France
and the Netherlands scored 11 and 8 %, respectively. The research looked at the number
of patent documents in Derwent's Biotechnology Abstracts database.
Patent applications to the European Patent Office, World Patent
Office Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) and Regional Patent Offices
are included. Source: Bioforum International
2, 2000
The public and genomics Levels of public understanding
of genomics and genome-related issues in the UK are fairly low.
The most important features of public attitudes towards these
areas of research are: On a global level, the following
emerges: Source: European Biopharmaceutical
Review, March 2000, pp 8-12
EU support for biotech
decreases - the New Eurobarometer 2000 study The previous Eurobarometer study
dated from 1996. Since then, much has happened: Dolly, the first
cloned sheep and discussions about human cloning, xenotransplantation,
failed trials with gene therapy and even deaths, still raging
controversies about genetically modified ('Frankenstein') foods.
The most recent Eurobarometer 2000 study shows that all these
issues have influenced the thinking of Europeans about biotechnology
and its applications: support for biotechnological applications
has fallen even further. In all, 16,000 Europeans were
interviewed. Below we give the responses, and we compare the
2000 responses with the ones given in 1996. * modern biotech and food: useful
55% in 1996, 42% in 2000; Source: Bionieuws 10, May 20,
2000 See also:
Worldwide attitude to
biotechnology Recently, results were published
from a worldwide study on public attitudes towards biotechnology.
The study was performed by the Angus Reid Group and interviewed
2,000 respondents in the USA and Canada, and 3,000 people in
Australia, UK, France, Germany, Brasil and Japan. The study was
conducted in 1998 and in 2000. Results have been published in
the report 'New Thoughts for Food: Consumer Reaction to Biotechnology
in Foods'. Source: Angus Reid Press Release,
June 8, 2000. See also:
European voice on web
European Voice, the weekly journal
for news on the Commission, Council and EP, is now available
online:
New website DG Research:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/research http://europa.eu.int/comm/research
Submission of project proposals
The following websites are handy
when submitting a project proposal to the European Commission: Workprogrammes FP5: Latest calls for proposals FP5: FP5 proposal submission forms: FP5 infodesk addresses: Evaluation manual FP5: Peer review evaluation process: Intellectual Property Rights
model contract: External advisory groups Quality
of Life programme: Job listings on the web
The ACTIP website now features
a link to BioView, a website with thousands of job listings in
all disciplines, including research, development, regulatory
affairs, validation, manufacturing/production etc. The sites
also features an area where candidates can leave a resume for
review by industry professionals. See:
Companies involved in stem cell research
(for a full table with a description
of the activity, please contact the ACTIP Secretariat): Aastrom Biosciences (USA): Advanced Cell Technology Inc
(USA): Advanced Tissue Sciences (USA): BresaGen Ltd Cell Based Delivery Inc. (USA): CytoTherapeutics Inc (USA): Geron Corp (USA): Ixion Biotechnology Inc. (USA): Layton Biosciences Inc (USA): NeuralStem BioPharmaceuticals
Ltd (USA): NeuroNova AB (Sweden): Nexell Therapeutics Inc (USA): Osiris Therapeutics Inc. (USA): Stem Cell Sciences Pty Ltd (Australia)
New vaccine guidelines
approved In May 2000, a group of experts
representing member states and the EMEA met to discuss key issues
concerning the procedure of batch release of vaccines in Europe.
These guidelines have been prepared by the Official Medicines
Control Laboratory network (OMCL). The following guidelines have
been adopted or approved for consultation: Adopted guidelines for: Approved for consultation: All the adopted guidelines are
published on the website of the European Directorate for the
Quality of Medicines (EDQM) of the European Council:
Alternatives to potency
testing tetanus vaccines On June 27, 2000, the EDQM, together
with WHO, organized a scientific symposium on tetanus vaccines
for human use to survey the recent developments in the quality
control of tetanus vaccines and to examine the progress made
for their potency determination. Current European Pharmacopeia
and WHO potency tests involve tests in animals and a more acceptable
method for routine testing of tetanus vaccines has long been
sought. At the symposium, serological potency models using ELISA
and TOBI techniques were the centre of interest. Data was presented
to show the usefulness of these methods either alone or in conjunction
with methods that are now used. Discussion on common approaches
on how to perform quality controls of these vaccines in the future
based on alternative methods for demonstration of batch consistency
were held. Source: press release EDQM, June
27, 2000. See also www.pheur.org
Listeria genome sequenced On April 18, a press release
announced the successful completion of a BIOTECH project to sequence
the Listeria genome. See: europa.eu.int/comm/research/quality-of-life.html
Insect cells interesting
for vaccines Company Intervet in the Netherlands
(subsidiary of Akzo Nobel Pharma) has chosen for the baculovirus
expression system in insect cells to produce an animal vaccine
against swine fever (hog cholera). Reason: the baculovirus expression
system allows a 100-fold higher production of protein compared
to a system based on animal cells. Current production is in 1,000
litre bioreactors. Baculoviruses are also used to
produce virus-like particles. US company Medimmune is currently
conducting clinical tests with a human parvovirus vaccine. A major advantage is the speed
with which a production system based on the baculovirus expression
system can be developed (within 8 weeks). This speed could be
a major advantage in the developed of anti-flu vaccines. UK company
Protein Sciences is conducting clinical tests with human flu
vaccines produced in insect cells. It is impossible to reach
a similar development speed using mammalian cells, since selection
of recombinant mammalian cells is quite a lengthy procedure. Source: Bionieuws 9, May 6, 2000.
For more info, see:
Pharming abandons rabbits
for alpha-glucosidase Dutch company Pharming is well
known for its use of genetically modified cattle or rabbits for
the production of biopharmaceutical proteins, intended for orphan
diseases. Source: Volkskrant April 4, 2000
New Secretary-General
for EuropaBio The Board and membership of EuropaBio
have appointed Hugo Schepens as new Secretary-General. He will
join the association in October as the successor to Anthony Arke.
Hugo Schepens has considerable experience in the pharmaceutical
industry and in health economics. Source: press release EuropaBio,
August 8, 2000
Tightening TSE prevention
rules On May 17, 2000, the European
Parliament adopted a proposal for a Regulation creating rules
for controlling and preventing Transmissable Spongiform Encephalopathies
(TSEs). The EP want to urge member states to routinely slaughter
all the animals in a cattle herd when one of them has been infected
by mad cow disease. They also call for wide scale introduction
of BSE screening tests. The rapporteur also wants to extend the
scope to include products so far excluded, such as cosmetics,
pharmaceuticals and other medicinal products. Specified Risk
Material (SRM) is to be dealt with according to special treatment
arrangements, i.e. feeding prohibition, mandatory removal and
incineration of SRMs from live cattle, goats and sheep. Source: Europe Environment, no.
569, May 30, 2000
US and EU establish
mutual forum Biotechnology holds great promises
for the future of mankind, but it has also created unease due
to concerns about possible unknown effects and food safety. If you would like to know the
names of the US or EU forum members, please ask the ACTIP Secretariat
for a list of members.
Programme ESACT meeting Sessions ot the 17th ESACT meeting,
to be held from June 10-14, 2001 in Tylosand, Sweden, will include: Source: ESACT Newsletter July
2000
Biological Weapons Convention
- joint industry position The global pharmaceutical, chemical
and biotechnology industry, as represented by EFPIA, FEBC and
PHRMA, has issued a joint industry position paper on the Compliance
Protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention. Major points are: * industry is actively supporting
efforts to strengthen the Convention by the inclusion of effective
measures to help enhance compliance with its objectives and to
reduce the threat of biological warfare; The full text of the position
paper is available on the ACTIP website, as well as on the EFPIA
website:
New Research Director
General DG Research Director-General
Jorma Routti has stepped down. The DG portfolio is now managed
by Deputy DG Hendrik Tent.
Technical assistants In 2000, the EC will seek Project
Technical Assistants (PTAs) to help with the implementation of
FP 5 for a number of programmes, including the Quality of Life,
Information Society, SME, INCO and Human Potential Programmes.
For more information, look regularly at:
New EU Health Strategy On May 16, 2000, the European
Commission, by David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer
Protection, presented its proposals for the future strategy on
health in the Community. A key part is the new public health
programme, which will run for six years and will cost 300 million
EURO. Focus will be on:
Busquin to 'think big'
on new R&D funding This autumn, Research Commissioner
Philippe Busquin will unveil plans to focus EU funding for R&D
on large-scale strategic projects, in a bid to help the Union
catch up with its US and Japanese rivals. In his paper, he will
argue that the EU money currently is spread far too thinly on
a raft of small-scale projects. Instead, the Commission should
be prepared to think big with FP6 with priority given to fewer,
bigger projects worth millions of EURO apiece. The projects should
add value to the EU. His plans will be closely linked
to separate proposals to build a 'European research area'. The
latter aims to improve coordination of national and Union-level
R&D programmes. The Commisioner is also examining
ways to encourage R&D through tax breaks for research. Source: European Voice, Vol 6,
nr 30, July 27 2000.
Scientific big shots
to advice Busquin On April 27, Commissioner Busquin
announced the establishment of a High Level Group on Biosciences.
The group is composed of 11 eminent scientists in the life sciences
and will advice about current and future developments in biotechnology.
Members of the group have been selected on the basis of both
their scientific merits as well as their ability to communicate
with the lay public. Well known names are Derek Burt, chairman
of the British Committtee for the environmental introduction
of GMOs, and Marc van Montagu, professor in Gent. For more details,
see http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/research/press/2000/pr2704en-ann1.html
Exploitation responsibility
of specific research programmes Since 1989, the European Commission
has supported demonstration and dissemination projects as a follow
up to research projects. Often, these innovation projects had
their own funding, and specific innovation programmes existed. In FP 5, however, the role of
facilitating subsequent exploitation of Community-based research
has been passed to the specific research programmes themselves.
It is now the responsibility of each of the four thematic programmes
to ensure that every FP 5 research project makes concrete plans
for eventual commercialization, and follows these through tthe
licensing of intellectual property in foreign markets. Source: Innovation & Technology
Transfer, Vol 3, May 2000. For more info, contact Dr. Archibugi,
CNR: archibu@www.isrds.rm.cnr.it
Virtual Technology Parks In 1998, the European Commission
approved the European Technology Transfer Initiative (ETTI).
Among its recommended elements was a virtual technology park
(VTP). Two approaches have been adopted: The project is unique and strong
interest in joining the project has been voiced in the US and
Australia. Source: Innovation & Technology
Transfer, Vol 3, May 2000. For more information, contact Eklen
Pedersen at ellen.pedersen@cec.eu.int. http://ettn.jrc.it
Deadlines 2000 The second deadline for the 2nd
call for proposals for funding is October 11, 2000 The following areas will be open
for this call for proposals: Key Action 2,
Control of Infectious Diseases: Key Action 3,
the Cell Factory: RTD activities
of a generic nature: In addition, based on the open
call of March 6, 1999, the following areas are still open:
Selection projects Selection rates and funding levels
of the first call for proposals FP5, Quality of Life, shows the
following: * Key Action 1 (Food and Health):
selection rate 21.5%, average funding per project 1,684,613 million
EURO;
The quarterly RTD info magazine informs on the main developments in
EU funded research activities. Free: rtd-info@cec.eu.int Bimonthly CORDIS
focus also provides a review
of the EU's research and innovation activities. Free. innovation@cec.eu.int Summaries of
BIOMED 2 research projects
(1994-1998) are available from DG 12:
Catalogue of Central and
Eastern European projects Since 1992, the EU has intensified
research cooperation with the Central and Eastern European countries
and the new independent states of the former Soviet Union under
the Copernicus programme. In 1998, 235 projects were selected
(from 1931 proposals) and 1574 teams funded (from 10,236 proposing
teams). An amount of 53 million EURO was allocated for projects
in environmental protection, health research activities, non-nuclear
energy, information technologies, advanced communications and
social sciences. A catalogue of projects is available
for 12 EURO (551 pages, reference CG-13-98-322-EN-C).
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