News in brief

The Melbourne-based biotechnology group Biota has signed an agreement with its US-based partner, Thermo Electron Corporation, which complements a similar revenue-sharing deal from an earlier flu kit. Biota will supply $750,000 to help cover development costs, according to chief financial officer Andrew Macdonald who said revenue would be back-dated to last May. He also claimed the deal would allow Biota to obtain a growing share of the global flu market. The kit's value lies in an ability to distinguish different strains of influenza, unlike the existing model.

Australian biotech company Peptech is forecasting a net profit in excess of A$25m in 2003/04, according to executive chairman Mel Bridges - a significant improvement on last year's net loss of A$15.8m. He said that the profit performance placed the company in a strong position to pursue acquisitions over the next 12 months.

British OTC giant Boots Healthcare International plans to make India one its top five investment priorities, and its joint venture company Boots Piramal Healthcare is seeking brand acquisitions in India, according to ceo Paul Stoneham. 'In the short-term Boots will concentrate on natural growth in India, which, together with China, Russia and Poland, is emerging as an important market globally.'

Plans to double production capacity at its plant in Suzhou, Japan, by 2006 will cost Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai about ¥2bn (Euro 15.4m). This is part of Eisai's programme to raise sales in China fivefold by fiscal 2006 to ¥20bn. The Suzhou plant produces Methycobal, a treatment for peripheral neuropathy; Neuquinon, a metabolic cardiotonic; and Merislon, a treatment for dizziness. The plant is also expected to make Aricept, a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, in the future.