newspaper article january 30

Monday January 30, 2006

Imugene gains regulatory approval
by Mark Beyer


Latest News


Imugene gains regulatory approval - 30 Jan, 14:21pm

Biotechnology company Imugene said it has achieved "one of its biggest regulatory milestones" with a licence for the limited release of its poultry productivity enhancer (PPE).

The licence approval by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator will allow Imugene to conduct further trials outside the laboratory.

PPE is one of four products being developed by Imugene for intensive pig and poultry farming.

Its products are designed to prevent disease, boost growth rates and reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics and harmful chemicals.


Imugene said initial laboratory tests of PPE had demonstrated weight gains in poultry of 13.75 per cent.

It will proceed with further tests to document efficacy, minimum dosage and safety parameters to enable additional regulatory approvals for the first product sales.

The company said it had also successfully applied for a permit from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to use the PPE product in the first international release trial.

Further approvals will be required from the OGTR and the APVMA prior to the commercial release and sale of the PPR product.

International animal health company Merial, which signed a global licencing deal for the PPE product last October, will be responsible for obtaining these further approvals.