MONEYMAKERS
CANCER VACCINE: Researchers at the Kanazawa University and Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy in Japan claim to have developed a cancer vaccine that boosts the body's capacity to build anti-cancer immune responses. According to the researchers, when laboratory mice were injected with this vaccine, transplanted cancer cells failed to multiply. If this technology can be developed for human use, it will provide desired long-term effects as compared to those provided by existing immunotherapies of cancer, the researchers said.
METHANOL POWER: A car powered by small fuel cells that runs on methanol will soon be introduced in the market by Nissan Motor Corporation. The technology has been developed by Ballard Power Systems Inc of Canada. The fuel cells power the car's motor by inducing a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen extracted from methanol. The manufactures have also launched a prototype of a car which has been specifically designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
ANTI-FUNGAL DRUG: Amphocil, an anti-fungal drug, will soon be launched in the market by the Bangalore-based company, Criti-Care. The company has tied-up with Sequus Pharmaceuticals, USA, to manufacture the drug. The drug is designed to treat progressive and potentially fatal systematic fungal infections. Even though the drug has limited applications, CritiCare sources said that they will be able to supply the drug to doctors or patients within 24 hours of placing the order anywhere in India. Amophocil is currently marketed in 30 countries, including the UK and the US. The current market size of the drug is said to be worth over Rs 400 crore.
WHAT'S IN THE NAME: Proctor & Gamble India Ltd will now be called Proctor & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd. This despite the fact that it earns a third of its turnover through manufacturing of cosmetics, toiletries, laundry and soap products. The move is being seen as the company's effort to get identified with feminine hygiene and health care. According to the company's chairperson and managing director, Bharat Patel, the new name will be a better reflection of the nature and character of the company.
CHANCE DISCOVERY: A new drug to fight depression may be on the anvil. Scientist in the US believe that they may have discovered a new way to treat depression. Intersentingly, the discovery was made by chance. An experimental drug was discovered that targets a mysterious brain chemical. Doctors did not know what was at work during mental disorders. Chemically, the drug is supposed to work differently from antidepressants available in the market and offers hope to patients who get no help from standard therapies. According to Steven Hyman, director of the Mental Institute, "To everybody's surprise, the drug was robustly effective for depression."
HIGH TECH CROPS: The potential for scientifically-engineered crops was reinforced when DuPont and Pioneer formed a joint venture called Optimum Quality Grains to develop new crops. DuPont, which gets 20 per cent revenues from agricultural life sciences, believes that its efforts in this area will not pay off in a big way until the year 2005 because of the heavy development and research costs involved in creating new products.