ABN Newswire

Living Cell Technologies (ASX:LCT) Present Novel Parkinson's Disease Treatment Results

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 07:49:02 GMT

Living Cell Technologies Limited's (ASX:LCT) (OTCQX:LVCLY) Medical Director, Emeritus Professor Robert Elliott, presented for the first time the results of pre-clinical trials of NTCELL therapy in non-human primate models of Parkinson's disease at BioPharma Asia 2012.

LCT is a global leader in developing cell transplant therapies to treat chronic disease and NTCELL is LCT's lead product for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. NTCELL has been developed using LCT's pioneering animal-cell-based transplantation and encapsulation platform.

The pre-clinical studies were performed in animals in which a Parkinson's-like condition had been induced. In all of the studies, transplantation of NTCELL into the affected brain regions reduced movement disorders and neurological defects associated with the disease compared to controls, which received only empty capsules. The improvements in symptoms were seen within two weeks and persisted for at least six months, the end-point of the trial. Microscopic analysis of both treated and untreated brain regions clearly showed an increase in the number of dopamine producing neurons in the NTCELL treated subjects compared to controls. In addition, there was no cellular or pathological evidence of inflammation or other adverse event.

Professor Robert Elliott said, "Today we have presented a comprehensive suite of pre-clinical data in small animal and non-human primate studies which show an astonishing recovery of the part of the brain affected in Parkinson's disease, as well as a more than 50% improvement in the devastating movement and neurological symptoms of the disease. We are now compiling an application to New Zealand's medicines safety authority, Medsafe, to start Phase I clinical trials in Parkinson's patients. Pending regulatory authorisation, LCT expects to begin these trials by the end of Q1 2013."

Dr Andrea Grant, Chief Executive Officer of LCT said, "BioPharma Asia is the leading forum through which the most influential decision makers in the Asian and global biopharmaceutical industry forge partnerships. We are delighted to have been invited to present our unprecedented results of NTCELL in Parkinson's as a plenary."

Andrea Grant
Chief Executive
Tel: +64-9-276-2690
Mobile: +64-21-469000

Agenix Limited (ASX:AGX) Chairmans Address to Shareholders at 2011 Annual General Meeting

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:36:00 GMT

Agenix Limited (ASX:AGX) is pleased to provide the following Chairman's Address to shareholders at 2011 Annual General Meeting.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Agenix annual general meeting for 2011.

Thank you for your continued interest and support and for taking the time to come here today.

Overview of 2011 Financial Year

Following the considerable challenges of the 2008 and 2009 fiscal years, it is pleasing to report that current assets at 30 June 2011 were $1.9 million reflecting the successful recovery from SHRG/YSY in Shanghai.

During the 12 months to 30 June 2011, the Group reduced its total liabilities $2.9 million at the end of FY2010 to $850,000 as at 30 June 2011. The reduction in liabilities of $2.1 million arose from $1,000,000 of convertible notes being converted to equity - an expression of confidence in the company - with the balance of $1.1 million being legacy debts inherited by this board which we acquitted from cash resources.

Total income for the year ended 30 June 2011 was $220,000 up from $53,000 in the previous financial year due to the receipt of interest totalling $154,000 in respect of the China settlement.

Our focus is on the future and, at the same time, controlling the company's cash resources while deploying them prudently.

First quarter of the 2012 Financial Year

During the quarter just gone, the Company's operational expenditure was approximately $144,000 per month. This includes salaries and research and development costs expensed as well as activity in support of our business development milestones.

We finished the quarter with $1.2 million in cash, compared to $549,000 for the same period in 2010. While our position is solid and our costs remain under tight control, further capital will be required as we move towards the commencement of human clinical trials for AGX-1009 in China in 2012.

Operating activities used cash of $616,000 including legacy costs of $40,000. As noted previously, our ongoing administration overheads have been significantly reduced and were down to $428,000 for the quarter. Like many Australian companies with a global focus, the strength of our dollar continues to reduce the Australian dollar value of funds required by our China subsidiary.

As I just mentioned, Agenix will continue to invest in the scale-up of its China operations as the start of the first human clinical study for AGX-1009 draws closer.

However, even Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), which executed one of the most remarkable rebirths ever beginning with the iPod, had to go through a decade of pain to get there.

Your board is equal to the challenge of working to build a great business as quickly as we can by providing tremendous products wherever they are needed.

Agenix is on track to create long term value for shareholders

Agenix today is on track to create significant value for shareholders building on the significant achievements to date.

Our lead drug candidate, AGX-1009, targets a large unmet need for next-generation Hepatitis B therapies in China with a competitive product.

Our lead diagnostic, ThromboView(R), is a safe and effective diagnostic for pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

We aim to build a pipeline of projects targeting China and global markets.

We have achieved a complete transformation of the company based on human and intellectual capital and by partnering our capital with China infrastructure and technical skills.

We are driving the business by reference to technical, clinical and commercial value inflection points and realistic milestones.

We aim for nothing more than and nothing less than competent execution of basics like good corporate governance which I shall come to in a moment, mitigating risk and communicating milestones and results.

We have a networked and commercial approach to achieving term shareholder value by commercialising, as fast as we are able to, next generation drugs and diagnostics with a major focus on opportunities in China.

We do not employ a large internal bureaucracy - our approach is to engage with partners and collaborators from research laboratories to manufacturing.

Currently we have two lead programs working to achieve two genuine value inflection points for investors: the first is a partnering or sale event for ThromboView(R). The other is the Clinical Trial Application (CTA) filing for AGX-1009 with China's State Food & Drug Administration in 2012. I shall come to these in a moment.

Our business in China is on solid foundations

Looking at a snapshot of our shareholders and capital, we recovered $3.6 million from China, undertook a reasonably successful rights issue and negotiated the acquisition of AGX - 1009, a drug candidate supported by the Chinese Government's State Special Funds for Important Newly-Developed Drugs.

The recovery and placement revenues transformed the Company's financial position and are direct evidence of Agenix's proven ability to do business in China.

We believe the value of AGX-1009 has not yet been priced in to our stock by the market.

For those of you who have been long term shareholders, you would know that the Company has a proud history of taking bench-top research through to commercial success in global markets. Since 1987, Agenix has taken over 20 animal and human products across four technology platforms to successful commercialisation then strategic sale and exit.

The Company has even achieved State Food & Drug Administration (SFDA) regulatory approval for a hepatitis B drug in China before exiting the corporate issues that attended that therapy. Agenix still has the people, relationships and methodologies to continue its overall track record of success.

Lead drug AGX-1009 aims to help meet large unmet medical needs in China

Agenix has been involved with the hepatitis B market in China since 2005. China has the largest number of hepatitis B patients in the world, with an estimated 120 million people carrying the surface antigen (HBsAg). An estimated, 20 million people in China suffer from chronic hepatitis B, and 300,000 people die from the disease or its complications every year.

In 2009 it was estimated that the market for hepatitis B treatments in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) was $227.4 million in hospitals alone and $460 million across the whole market, with an annual growth rate of 31 per cent between 2008 and 2009, and a compound annual growth rate of 56 per cent between 2006 and 2009.

The Chinese hepatitis B drugs market grew by 31 per cent by volume between 2008 and 2009, with a 2006 - 2009 compound annual growth rate of 47 per cent.

The highest selling drug in China for hepatitis B was 'Adefovir' with sales of $109 million, although other drugs ' Lamivudine' and 'Entecavir' had sales of greater than $84 million.

Due to improved access to medication and a burgeoning middle class, Datamonitor forecasts that the hepatitis B drugs market in China will reach a total value of $701.5 million in 2019 in hospitals alone. IMS Health puts the overall market figure at $1.3 billion. It is a huge market and Agenix is familiar with how it works.

AGX-1009 is a patented tenofovir 'prodrug' with the same active compound as Gilead's FDAapproved tenofovir 'prodrug' Viread. It has the same active ingredient, tenofovir, but contains a different molecular sidechain that drops away as the drug nears its site of desired activity in the body.

Within the area of liver disease, Gilead's Viread is now the most-prescribed treatment for chronic hepatitis B in the US and Europe after receiving regulatory approval in 2008 in those geographies.

We expect this is likely to play out the same way in China where GSK has the marketing rights to Viread and when it receives manufacturing and marketing approval from China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) sometime likely to be in 2014.

Patients develop resistance to the major existing HBV medications over time and chronic HBV patients then need to change to a next generation therapy. In the case of lamivudine, around 80% of patients develop resistance after 5 years. In the case of adefovir, almost 30% of patients develop resistance after 5 years.

Agenix is positioned to offer very strong competition in this large medical market with our lead product candidate, AGX-1009, which belongs to the same class of drugs as Viread known as nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors. They work by blocking an enzyme the virus requires to replicate. AGX-1009 will be a once-a-day therapy for this market.

In October, Agenix entered into two important agreements with our strategic partners in China:

The first was with China's Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences and covers the work to complete important pre-clinical toxicology tests for our hepatitis B drug, AGX-1009, ahead of our application in mid 2012 to start human clinical trials.

The second was a cooperation agreement with the Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology (IMB) of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing. This MoU may well lead to future pipeline products for Agenix as it formally documents how we can explore areas of mutual interest and cooperation in the development and commercialisation of potential new drug candidates under development by our strategic partner IMB. We are in the rare company of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and only a couple of other organisations to have such an agreement with IMB.

Both agreements reinforce our commercial position in China and provide the solid foundations of long-term growth for our business in one of the world's largest and fastest growing healthcare markets.

The field of developing effective new drugs for the unmet medical needs of millions of people in the developing world is very cool, in a modern sense, and potentially very lucrative.
Also in September, our strategy to prove and commercialise an affordable once-a-day drug treatment for the symptoms of hepatitis B in China with IMB was highlighted at the annual Bio Korea conference, one of the largest international biotechnology business events in Asia.

ThromboView provides a better way to detect blood clots

The independent clinical evidence to show that our lead diagnostic ThromboView is safe and effective continues to grow. During the quarter, a detailed report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine described ThromboView as 'not just a new diagnostic method; it is a new imaging concept.'

The report was based on the results of a 52 patient multi-centre Phase II study in the US and Canada, conducted by the University of California San Diego Medical Centre, found ThromboView was well tolerated by a range of patients and was able to accurately diagnose acute pulmonary embolism.

ThromboView was created to provide medical professionals with a better way to accurately detect deadly live blood clots and pulmonary embolisms in the human body without the exposure to high chest radiation and nephrotoxic contrast agents used by current methods.

This promising technology was also a highlight at the Fourth Annual Congress of Molecular Diagnostics in Beijing in September where there was strong interest in the data from ThromboView's two successful US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Phase II human clinical trials.

Our discussions with groups that have expressed interest in either buying or licensing this promising asset are making good progress.

We expect these to continue into 2012. I take this opportunity to thank Professor Tim Morris from the University of California San Diego Medical Center, Dr. Mike Gerometta who has been with the project for several years and other key Thromboview(R) project team members as our partnering program progresses. The take-away here is that the Company believes there are no technology issues and that a successful partnering program will come down to an assessment of market size and financial capacity.

Two independent estimates of the market size for PE in the USA alone, each supported by peer reviewed literature, put PE market size at around 1.8 million tests conducted annually.

The other estimate is around 2.2 million PE tests annually with an expected annual growth rate of 3%, based on population growth, rapid growth of geriatric population and higher incidence of blood clotting with age.

Over the past year we have done an enormous amount of work articulating market positioning of ThromboView(R) and here's what we have figured out:

ThromboView provides accurate, functional imaging. It can be used as a replacement diagnostic test for patients with suspected PE where V/Q scans are a first-line choice and are unlikely to deliver a diagnostic result. It can be used as a confirmatory diagnostic where CT is used as a first-line diagnostic test, the scan result is negative and the clinical probability of disease is high or moderate. It can be used as a replacement diagnostic where CTPA is an inappropriate choice based on radiation exposure, renal impairment or contrast allergy. Also there is a movement to lower radiation diagnostics formalised by a recent US Joint Commission Report.

We have identified a lot of support for market penetration. There are increasing cancer rates, surgeries, and other clot related indications. ThromboView(R) can differentiate live versus old clots.

There is a retesting requirement when CT results are inconsistent with the recognised truth standard. In multi-slice spiral CTPA where the results are known to be suspect, 23% of patients are likely to be false positives. We think ThromboView(R) could take 25% of that market at peak.

Where the CT scan is positive, but there is a low pre-test probability, 3% of patients are likely to be false negatives. We think ThromboView(R) could take 25% of that market at peak.

Where CT is negative, but there is a high pre-test probability of a clot, 7% of CT exams are uninterpretable. We think ThromboView(R) could take 25% of that market at peak.

At world leading centres, 15% of CT exams are in recurrent patients. We think ThromboView(R) could take 15% of that market at peak.

Where multi-slice spiral CTPA may not be best choice, such as in young women. 25% of CT exams are in young women. The dose to the radiation sensitive pre-menopausal breasts is potentially dangerous.

ThromboView(R) has a number of advantages over V/Q including the ability to discern PE in patients with concomitant lung disorders. Also, V/Q requires precise timing between the bolus and an immediately subsequent scan. ThromboView(R) does not and so avoids the dyssynchrony which results in a high proportion of non-diagnostic V/Q tests.

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine was accompanied by an editorial that recognised this and went on to say that ThromboView(R):

"...might win the battle against V/Q lung scan in the future, and it might find a respectable, well-defined place as an alternative to CTPA in small or large groups of patients with suspected PE. As technology continues to evolve, it may become possible to use thrombus (fibrin) detection by SPECT in conjunction with low-dose thoracic computed tomography, with the potential to combine the advantages of both modalities."...

In the USA alone, the estimated market size for upper extremity VTE and PE alone could result in 550,000 patients annually and $440 million in revenue.

I hope this gives you some insight into the work we have been doing and why much of it does not lend itself to public announcements.

Agenix is actively managing and reducing its risks

AGX-1009 is based on an established and proven existing compound and so carries a significantly lower risk profile to a completely untested new drug compound.

ThromboView(R) has successfully completed five clinical trials and if we can find a partner we will partner it.

In China, we are working with strategic partners who are SFDA experts so we expect minimum errors in data and in the regulatory submissions. Also in China, we believe it is a Government priority to support new drugs like AGX-1009.

AGX-1009 has a compound patent in China to 2026. We have also filed a number of new international patent applications to protect AGX-1009 worldwide. In September we filed an application under the international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and also in some selected non-PCT countries aiming to reinforce the already long-term protection we have in China.

ThromboView is protected by broad patents in USA, EU, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand to 2022 and patent applications are under examination in China, Canada and Japan.

These patents cover other tags, including PET. There is data exclusivity protection as a biologic for 10 years in Europe and Japan, 12 years USA, and 6 years in China from the date of regulatory approval.

The ThromboView(R) trade mark is registered in numerous geographies. We will continue to build and will aggressively defend these rights.

Then there is a focus on the C's, Communication with stakeholders, Costs Control, Commercialising our late stage Candidate, our active Compound for hepatitis B is known, China where we have good partners and are positioned to benefit from significant unmet medical needs.

The outlook for our business in 2012 is positive

In the near term there should be two genuine value inflection points for investors: the first is a partnering or sale event for ThromboView(R).

Potential partners currently conducting due diligence may conclude a deal in 2011/2012 including access to technology fees, milestone payments, royalties. That's what we are working to achieve.

The second is the formal Clinical Trial Application (CTA) filing for AGX-1009 with China's State Food & Drug Administration in 2012.

There may be also be a potential Phase I start in that program depending on how long the SFDA takes to grant approval and a possible Phase III start for ThromboView(R) if it is partnered. Other milestones in 2012 will include the progress of key patent applications, additional peer publications to support ThromboView and data from the pre-clinical studies of AGX-1009. We also hope to announce a number of technical, clinical and commercial opportunities to build a late stage pipeline of assets that are accretive in the near term.

Focus on corporate governance

Before we move to procedural matters and the election of directors I would like to speak briefly and in general terms about our board and governance arrangements.

The Agenix board has a strong and shared commitment to achieving and demonstrating the highest standards of Corporate Governance and promoting this rigorously throughout the Group. As a board, we aim for frankness, transparency and propriety in all stakeholder and external relationships.

The company endeavours that its practices are consistent with the latest ASX Corporate Governance Council's Principals and Recommendations wherever possible. This is not always possible because, to maintain a lean and effective structure, the board is small and takes an active role in the company's affairs.

Nevertheless, risk management, governance procedures and the interests of shareholders always take precedence over collegiality. The board continues to refine and improve the governance framework and practices in place to ensure they meet the interests of all stakeholders. Details of these policies, together with Agenix's other key corporate governance policies are published on the Agenix website.

Our people in Australia, the USA and China continue to make solid progress on multiple fronts. Agenix is on the path of achieving a number of meaningful milestones for our two lead products in 2012.

I believe the continued good results we achieve together will underpin the creation of significant long term value for shareholders. Looking forward, our aim is to build on our success and to take advantage of the significant opportunities that exist for the Company.

While there are certain to be challenges within the broader market, we aim to keep our business foundations strong as we enter the next growth phase of our business and work to create long term value for shareholders. Thank you for your ongoing support of our company.

Nicholas Weston
Chairman and CEO
31 October 2011

Nicholas Weston
Agenix Limited
Tel: 1300-132-551

Asian Activities Report for October 27, 2011: C @ Limited (ASX:CEO) To Acquire Eight Highly Prospective Mongolian Coal Licences

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:00:39 GMT

C @ Limited (ASX:CEO) has signed an agreement to acquire eight highly prospective Mongolian coal licences for US$7.8 millions. The licences lie in a region hosts a number of recent major black coal discoveries, and are near the expanding Chinese steel and energy markets. Phase II of the exploration program is to commence immediately following the completion of acquisition. The Company is to change its name to Draig Resources Limited and its company logo to reflect the proposed future operations and market focus.

African Iron Limited (ASX:AKI) announces a 267% increase in the JORC hematite mineral resource to 121 million tonnes at its 92% owned Mayoko Iron Ore Project in Congo. The Mayoko mineral resource now comprises an Indicated and Inferred hematite direct shipping ore of 44 million tonnes at 55% Fe. The Company will shortly commence a pre-feasibility study investigating the commencement of production by mid-2013.

ENK Plc (ASX:ENK) announces the first nickel production from its pilot plant located 250 km north of Manila in the Philippines. The initial 50kg (dry weight) of nickel hydroxide product will be sent to potential off-takers for evaluation, and future production from the pilot plant is expected. The Bankable Feasibility Study for an atmospheric nickel leaching project for the Acoje deposit remains on track to be completed in the second quarter of 2012.

Solagran Limited (ASX:SLA) says today that the Company recently visited an Asian country where a poultry trial was conducted in collaboration with a government body in the field of poultry production and disease management. Solagran's Conifer Green Needle Complex was trialled and showed great capacity to improve the quality of eggs. Solagran is confident that they will be in a position to begin commercially supplying this Asian country in the first half of 2012.

Asia Business News
Tel: +61-2-9247-4344
http://www.abnnewswire.net

Agenix Limited (ASX:AGX) Signed New China Agreements to Advance Lead Drug Candidate and New Product Pipeline

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:26:00 GMT

Agenix Limited (ASX:AGX) today confirmed it had signed two new agreements with its strategic partners in China covering the commercialisation of new drug candidates, the sharing of resources, expertise and completion of pre-clinical toxicology tests for its new hepatitis B drug in China.

Agenix's China subsidiary entered an agreement with China's Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences to complete final toxicology tests for the hepatitis B compound AGX-1009 ahead of the expected start of clinical trials in China in 2012.

A memorandum of understanding between Agenix and its strategic partner, the Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology (IMB) of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing covers development of future drug candidates, sharing intellectual property, production, marketing, distribution and access to IMB's national research and regulatory expertise.

Agenix Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Weston, said, "These agreements with internationally respected institutions further reinforces our commercial position in China and is another step towards the creation of long-term shareholder value by developing new drugs to address large unmet clinical needs."

The event at the Beijing Peninsular Hotel on Wednesday 12 October was presided over by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle and Vice Secretary-General Dai Wei, of the Beijing Municipal Government.

The agreement to complete toxicology tests was signed by the Director of Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Dr. Ding Ra- Gao and the Chairman of Agenix Biopharmaceutical (Shanghai), Mr Tang Wen Sen.

The memorandum of understanding and cooperation agreement was signed by the Director of the Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology (IMB) of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing, Professor Jiang Jian-Dong, Agenix Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Weston and the Chairman of Agenix Biopharmaceutical (Shanghai), Mr Tang Wen Sen.

IMB is an internationally respected organisation that has played a major role in the development of several important new drugs. It collaborates with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Bethesda Hospital Maryland and Agenix Limited.

Agenix's patented hepatitis B drug compound, AGX-1009, shares the same active compound as Gilead's (NASDAQ:GILD) blockbuster drug, Viread, which is used to treat HIV and hepatitis B.

AGX-1009 is supported by the Chinese Government's State Special Funds for Important Newly-Developed Drugs which aims to develop new cost effective new medicines for large unmet medical needs in China.

Nicholas Weston
Agenix Limited
Tel: 1300-132-551

Andrew Geddes
CoActive Health Communications
Tel: +61-9555-4453

Asian Activities Report for October 11, 2011: Allied Healthcare Group (ASX:AHZ) Report Successful Pre-Clinical Testing of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Vaccine

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:00:13 GMT

Allied Healthcare Group (ASX:AHZ) says today that its investee company Coridon Pty Ltd has successfully completed pre-clinical efficacy testing of its prototype Herpes Simplex Virus 2 vaccine with outstanding results. Having achieved this milestone, Coridon has now secured additional funding from its major investor Allied Healthcare Group and plans to commence manufacturing and undertake formal pre-clinical safety studies before testing the vaccine in a Phase I clinical study.

Universal Biosensors, Inc. (ASX:UBI) has commenced a new research and development project for Cilag GmbH International to determine the feasibility of an innovative blood glucose product to be used in the field of diabetes. The feasibility project is expected to take approximately 12 months for which Universal Biosensors will receive US$4.5 million against a series of milestones.

Kalgoorlie Mining Company Limited (ASX:KMC) reports that recent drilling of the East Lode at the Bullant gold mine has intersected a spectacular high grade gold zone of 4.6m at 26.19g/t Au, representing the best drill assay result the Company has achieved at the Bullant gold project since its acquisition in April 2011. Drilling is currently continuing and further extensional drilling is planned. The Company expects to generate rapid shareholder wealth through development, production and exploration of the Bullant Gold Project.

Midas Resources Limited (ASX:MDS) will commence aircore drilling on a gold target south of the Intrepid Prospect at the Company's Lake Carey Project in Western Australia. The Intrepid prospect covers an area of widespread gold anomalism situated in the northwest part of the Lake Carey project. All necessary approvals have been obtained and drilling is to commence later this week.

Asia Business News
Tel: +61-2-9247-4344
http://www.abnnewswire.net

Asian Activities Report for October 10, 2011: Carabella Resources (ASX:CLR) Appoints New Managing Director to Strengthen Expertise in the Coal Industry

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:00:44 GMT

Carabella Resources Limited (ASX:CLR) announced the appointment of experienced coal industry executive Anthony Quin as Managing Director to strengthen the Company's coal expertise at Board level. Anthony is a prominent member of the Queensland coal industry, having served 14 years with BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP) including two years as Chief Development Officer of its Metallurgical Coal business, the world's largest exporter of metallurgical coal. This appointment is in line with Carabella's continuous commitment to the development of the Grosvenor West coking and thermal coal deposits and the broader Mabbin Creek coal area.

Tasman Resources Limited (ASX:TAS) has signed a conditional agreement with Rio Tinto Limited (ASX:RIO) for the funding of an accelerated exploration program on Tasman's Vulcan prospect. The Agreement will see an immediate cash injection of A$10 million into Tasman for this highly prospective iron-oxide copper gold uranium prospect, located 30 kilometres from BHP Billiton's giant Olympic Dam copper-gold-uranium mine in South Australia.

Acer Energy Limited (ASX:ACN) has executed a conditional Sale and Purchase Agreement with Sundance Energy Australia Limited (ASX:SEA) to acquire all of Sundance's 23.33% working interest in Petroleum Exploration Licence 100 in Cooper Basin, South Australia. The Licence is immediately east of the Acer Energy's PEL 182 block and directly west of the Telopea and Keleary oil fields which have produced in excess of 2 million barrels of oil.

Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX:SPL) has received agreement from the US Food and Drug Administration regarding the Phase 3 clinical trial program for the Company's VivaGel (R) bacterial vaginosis treatment. The Phase 3 clinical trial follows a successful Phase 2 study which proved significant efficacy for treatment of bacterial vaginosis, and will be the final phase of the development of VivaGel (R) before the Company seeks commercialisation of the treatment.

Asia Business News
Tel: +61-2-9247-4344
http://www.abnnewswire.net

Agenix Limited (ASX:AGX) Showcase Promising New Low-Risk Hepatitis Drug for China Market at Bio Korea 2011

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Fri, 30 Sept 2011 14:32:45 GMT

Agenix Limited (ASX:AGX) confirmed its promising new hepatitis B drug, AGX-1009, shared the same active compound as Gilead's (NASDAQ:GILD) blockbuster drug, Viread, which is widely used to treat HIV and hepatitis throughout Asia.

Agenix Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Weston told the Bio Korea 2011 conference in Seoul, "Our lead compound AGX-1009 is a 'prodrug' of the proven active substance Tenofovir but is activated by a different molecular side chain. In simple terms, this means AGX-1009 is significantly much less of a risk for us to develop and commercialise as it is based on a widely proven and used compound. It also potentially gives AGX-1009 Class I New Chemical Entity status and premium pricing in China once approved."

A prodrug is a compound administered in an inactive form then metabolised in the body into an active drug. Prodrugs are useful in targeting therapies to the right place in the body.

Tenofovir was approved for treatment of hepatitis B in the US by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008.

Bio Korea is one of the largest healthcare and biotechnology business events in Asia.

Mr Weston also highlighted the Company's innovative strategy to rapidly prove and commercialise AGX-1009 in a strategic alliance with the Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology (IMB) in China and other Asian countries where hepatitis is a national health problem.

"We believe Agenix has an opportunity to deliver a potentially beneficial treatment to millions of people with high unmet medical needs with a drug compound we believe has solid intellectual property and a long life cycle" he said.

Agenix and IMB are currently completing pre-clinical work in China and plan to begin a Phase I human clinical study of AGX-1009 in 2012.

A copy of the presentation has been lodged and is available on the ASX Website, www.asx.com.au and also http://www.agenix.com

Nicholas Weston
Agenix Limited
Tel: 1300-132-551

Andrew Geddes
CoActive Health Communications
Tel: +61-9555-4453

Asian Activities Report for September 30, 2011: Neon Energy (ASX:NEN) Sixth Well Successfully Brought Onstream in North San Ardo Oil Field, California

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Fri, 30 Sept 2011 12:00:34 GMT

Neon Energy Limited (ASX:NEN) says today that the recently drilled Lombardi 19-27H development well in the North San Ardo oil field, onshore California, has been brought onstream, with a stabilised initial production rate of approximately 250 bopd. This is the Company's sixth successful acceleration well to date. Total production at the oil field is currently in the range of 650 bopd to 700 bopd, with sales pricing at over US$100 per barrel.

India Resources Limited (ASX:IRL) has signed a A$249M coal operations contract with Prism Cement Limited (BOM:500338) to develop and operate the first phase of Prism's Sial Ghoghri coal mine in India for over 30 years. The first phase of the mine development is expected to produce 9.06 million tonnes of coal.

Guildford Coal Limited (ASX:GUF) has upgraded its Exploration Targets at its Mongolian coal projects to 30Mt to 1.380Bt, comprising Exploration Targets of 0-700Mt at the South Gobi Project and 30Mt-680Mt at the Middle Gobi Project. The Company plans to continue the current drilling program at both Projects with a view to defining JORC compliant resources by the end of October 2011.

Tissue Therapies Limited (ASX:TIS) says today that commercial negotiations are proceeding very well and the Company expects to start the sales of VitroGro(R) for the treatment of chronic wounds in the UK and Europe during the second quarter of 2012. In addition, preparations for the FDA clinical trial of VitroGro(R) for the treatment of venous ulcers are almost complete, and patient recruitment for the trial is planned to start during December 2011.

Biotron Limited (ASX:BIT) has commenced a human trial of its lead HIV drug candidate, BIT225, to further demonstrate its ability to reduce HIV loads in HIV-infected reservoir cells. BIT225 has recorded encouraging data in previous trials in healthy volunteers and Hepatitis C virus-infected patients. The results of the current trial is expected in the first quarter of 2012.

Circadian Technologies Limited (ASX:CIR) has submitted an investigational new drug application to the FDA to initiate clinical studies of VGX-100. The first trial will involve the treatment of a variety of different cancer types in patients with late stage cancer.

Asia Business News
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http://www.abnnewswire.net

Asian Activities Report for September 29, 2011: Red Mountain Mining (ASX:RMX) to Follow Up Significant Gold Mineralisation at Zhongqu Project Stage II Drilling in China

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 29 Sept 2011 12:00:16 GMT

Red Mountain Mining Limited (ASX:RMX) will commence a Stage II underground drilling program on 29 September 2011 at the Zhongqu project in Gansu Province, China. Stage I drilling at the project intersected significant gold mineralisation including 31m at 4.61 g/t gold and 14.3m at 4.50 g/t gold. Stage II drilling aims to get a better understanding of the orientation and tonnage potential of the high-grade gold structures with results to be expected in 6-8 weeks.

Atlantic Limited (ASX:ATI) has signed an agreement to undertake a development study of Vietnam's bauxite extraction and supply chain industry, particularly in the Central Highlands of the country. The development study will assess the 'mine-rail-port' proposal submitted by Atlantic to local and national authorities, and is an important step in achieving Atlantic's objectives of undertaking a full feasibility study of an integrated long-term bauxite supply chain solution and forming a joint venture to develop a large-scale bauxite mining project in Vietnam.

Rico Resources Limited (ASX:RRI) has commenced a major resource definition drilling programme at the Wonmunna Project in the East Pilbara iron ore mining region. The Company has engaged three rigs to accelerate the program to keep in line with the planned project development timetable of starting the Feasibility Study before Christmas this year. Production is expected to commence by the first quarter of 2013.

Rift Valley Resources Limited (ASX:RFV) today announced the acquisition of two new gold projects in the Lake Victoria Goldfields region of Tanzania. These acquisitions, along with the recently acquired Maji Moto project, fall in line with Rift Valley's objective of targeting more advanced projects that can be fast-tracked. The Company plans to commence first phase of drilling on the two new projects as soon as possible.

Novogen Limited (ASX:NRT) (NASDAQ:NVGN) today announced a US$2 million investment in its majority owned subsidiary, Marshall Edwards (NASDAQ:MSHL) through the purchase of approximately 1.33 million common shares of Marshall Edwards. The investment will support Marshall Edwards' ongoing oncology research and the development of two lead drug candidates, ME-143 and ME-344.

Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Company Limited (BOM:533107) and Airbus have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop state-of-the-art Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities and associated infrastructure in India. The joint venture will be the first of its kind to be set up in India.

Asia Business News
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ADX Energy Limited (ASX:ADX) Buys Back Further 10% Interest in Lambouka

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Fri, 9 Sept 2011 14:16:00 GMT

ADX Energy Ltd (ASX:ADX) is pleased to announce a Sale and Purchase Agreement has been executed to buy back a further 10% interest in the Lambouka Prospect Area in the Kerkouane Permit from PharmAust Limited (ASX:PAA) and to cancel the option of PAA to purchase an interest in that part of the Lambouka prospect that extends into Italian waters.

The key terms of the sale are as follows;

- Upon payment of US$50,000 by PAA to ADX, ADX will issue to PAA 1,000,000 ADX shares

- As part of the consideration ADX will also forgive outstanding past joint venture costs owed by PAA to ADX totalling $400,473.

- The transaction is subject to Joint Venture pre emption.

ADX farmed out a 10% interest in the Lambouka Prospect Area to PAA in early 2010 to provide funding for the Lambouka #1 well. The Lambouka-1 well intersected a gas column interpreted based on comprehensive LWD (logging while drilling) and a wireline logging data set which was recovered during the drilling of the well. Unfortunately due to instability of the borehole while drilling and evaluating Lambouka, it was not possible to test the well.

Lambouka is located approximately 70 km North East of onshore Cap Bon in the Sicily channel. The Dougga gas condensate discovery is located approximately 22 km SSW of Lambouka.

Upon conclusion of this transaction ADX will hold a 60% interest in the Lambouka Prospect Area. ADX holds a 100% interest in the remaining Pantelleria License area, over which some Kerkouane participants have options, and the Kerkouane Permit area. ADX operates all licenses and has recently announced the award of the adjacent offshore exploration permit d 364 C.R-.AX in Italian waters acquired at 100% equity interest. See map: http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-ADX-556597.pdf

ADX is pleased to have the opportunity to further increase its interest in Lambouka on favourable terms. ADX believes Lambouka and the nearby Dougga discovery represent a material appraisal and development opportunity for ADX.

Wolfgang Zimmer
Managing Director
Tel: +43-676-358-1214

Ian Tchacos
Chairman
Tel: +61-8-9226-2822

http://www.adxenergy.com.au