PERTH, Australia – Sydney-based Kazia Therapeutics Ltd. reported interim data showing that lead candidate paxalisib (formerly GDC-0084) saw a positive overall survival signal in its phase II glioblastoma trial, and the company raised AU$7.2 million (US$4.4 million) days after the data were released.

PERTH, Australia – Australian stem cell therapy company Mesoblast Ltd. announced that the FDA has accepted its BLA for priority review for its allogeneic mesenchymal precursor cell therapy, remestemcel-L, for children with acute steroid-refractory graft-vs.-host disease (aGVHD).

PERTH, Australia – Sydney-based molecular diagnostics company Genetic Signatures Ltd. received the CE mark for its 3base Easyscreen SARS-CoV-2 detection kit, clearing the way for marketing across the EU.

PERTH, Australia – The British Standards Institute (BSI) granted Sydney-based Oncosil Medical Ltd. European CE marking approval for its brachytherapy device to treat locally advanced pancreatic cancer in combination with chemotherapy, clearing the way for marketing in both the EU and the U.K. BSI also granted the Oncosil device breakthrough therapy designation.

PERTH, Australia – As Australia closes its borders to all non-citizens and non-residents, it looks within the country for solutions to manage the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.

PERTH, Australia – Australia’s Atomo Diagnostics Pty. Ltd. is preparing to raise AU$30 million (US$11.7 million) in an initial public offering on Australia’s Securities Exchange (ASX) that will enable it to ramp up manufacturing for rapid self-tests for COVID-19. The Sydney-based company is working with several multinational diagnostics companies to develop the new COVID-19 blood tests, which would be integrated with Atomo’s existing rapid test platform currently used for HIV screening.

PERTH, Australia – Australian digital health company Resapp Health Ltd. was down nearly 52% following news that the U.S. FDA rejected its de novo request for its smartphone application for the diagnosis and management of respiratory disease. The agency rejected the application, citing the need for additional information to demonstrate that the “clinical benefits of the device outweigh the risks,” CEO Tony Keating told analysts during a March 12 conference call on the news.

PERTH, Australia – Six classes of medical devices listed on Australia’s Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) will fall under new classification requirements on Aug. 25, 2020, following numerous consultations with industry. The consultations were part of the Australian government’s plans to overhaul its medical device regulations to be more in line with the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR).

PERTH, Australia – Mesoblast Ltd. plans to evaluate remestemcel-L in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S., Australia, China and Europe.