»corporate research«

Saul Hansell and John Markoff write about hardware and computer centers used by Google (NY Times, 3.7.2006). It's nothing off the shelf, but tailor-made for Google's needs -- we would have already thought that. However, Google is according to an analyst the fourth biggest maker of servers, behind Dell, HP and IBM. Even more, Google invested in "technologies it designed to reduce its ravenous need for electricity. These computers in turn use software developed with advanced tools that Google also designed itself. There are signs that Google is even preparing to create its own custom microchips," write the authors.

The Economist (11.5.2006) is enthusiastic about private space flights and compares the trials with the first flight of the Wright brothers. However, it seems that ideas meet enough money, and five concepts compete to earn the support of the rich investors. All is about sub-orbital flight because bringing a spaceship into orbit costs to much energy (keep in mind the large booster rockets of the Space Shuttle). "Instead, it will travel briefly into space, offering a short thrilling ride out of the atmosphere, a few minutes of weightlessness, and a spectacular view of the planet from about 100km," writes the Economist.

The new European chemicals legislation REACH may lead to more animal trials to study potential hazards of those substances to humans. Michael Lange reports in Deutschlandfunk radio (13.12.2006) about scientists with an EU-run research center in Ispra, nothern Italy, who investigate alternatives to animal trials. A favourite test system is using stem cells of mice and humans to probe cancer causing effects of chemicals. As of now politicians mostly talked on money to invest to follow the registration, evaluation and authorisation (ie. REACH) process for new compounds. But it will also take a lot of time to complete these studies and - presumably - a lot of animals to get the data.

Ian Sample describes in the Guardian (11.4.2006) how big pharma is aiming at expanding their business by turning -- we exaggerate here -- _any_ condition into a disease that might be cured with an appropriate medication. Check also for a comment of Ben Goldacre in his Bad Science column (15.4.2006).

However, after of the heavy dispute over the EU commission's proposed Reach programme (to check and register chemicals, which has been watered down in favour of industrial demands) now a study by the Danish research and consultancy organisation DHI comes to the conclusion that by year 2017 annually 150-500 million euros will be saved in environmental costs when chemicals are surveyed according to the Reach programme. However, the chemical industry is sceptical and says that an environmental cost assessment (as done by DHI) is speculative, at best. The European chemical industry council CEFIC comments that the study didn't account for the ever strengthening environmental legislation and improving technologies. Wiebke Rögener adds in here piece for Süddeutsche Zeitung (2.3.2006) that taking into account health care costs from prevented treatments all will sum up to 30 billion euros in 30 years. Well, the industry reckons with costs of some two billion euros in a decade. That should make clear: A tight Reach scheme will bring the most benefits and savings.

Andy Coglan investigates for New Scientist (22.4.2006) about the recent food scare with worrying high concentrations of acrylamide that broke four years ago. Two Swedish scientists made the case public. Well, the issue faded from the front pages of the media, but is still a concern of nutritionists and health policy people. And also industry is researching in procedures to decrease levels of acrylamide in their food products.

Joachim Müller-Jung reports in FAZ online (20.10.2006) from the International Conference on Influenza Vaccines for the World in Vienna where researchers of the company Novartis Behring presented promising results from a new production method for influenza vaccines. The researchers cultivated the virus in special tissue of a dog, so called MDCK-cells (short for Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells). The method allows production times cut by a third or half when compared with traditional cultivation in hen's eggs. A clinical trial (phase 3, with 7000 doses) now shows promising results and approval is under way at the European drug authority EMEA in London.

According to Deutschlandfunk radio (15.3.2006) the World Health Organisation WHO welcomes the advanced research of Hungarian company Omninvest into a potential vaccine against the bird flu virus H5N1. Results of first trials were convincing, says Klaus Stöhr, the head of the WHO's influenza task force.
(>> more background)

After years of discussion and argument, the European Union adopted a new chemical legislation, called REACH which stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals. The European Parliament approved it today. "Its effects will not be seen for a while. Companies will only have to register chemicals they make, import or use after the European Chemicals Central Agency starts up in Helsinki, Finland, in 2008. At first they will register only chemicals they make in quantities over 1000 tonnes a year, with quantities over a tonne by 2019," writes New Scientist (13.12.2006). The legislation is - in principle - a paradigm shift: Now companies have to prove that their chemical products are safe. Until now, governmental authorities had to investigate whether chemicals are hazardous.

Helen Pearson reports at Nature online (17.3.2006) about the tragic drug trial at a London hospital when all six trial participants showed severe side effects and were treated then at intensive care units. The compound TGN1412 is developed "with the aim of directing the immune system to fight cancer cells, or calm joints inflamed by rheumatoid arthritis," writes Pearson. It's also a showcase of international distributed research and development. The developer is the Germany biotech company TeGenero, producer of the compound is the German pharma firm Boehringer Ingelheim, contractor for the clinical trials is a U.S. service company conducting them in London. Up to now, nobody knows why the six men's immune system reacted that heavy, but "scientists note that the trial illustrates how incredibly potent some immune-altering agents can be. 'The immune system is capable of extraordinary power and we must be very careful when we tinker with it,'" a scientist is quoted.