BRIEFING - ASIA HEALTH - APRIL 13, 2009

NOVARTIS IN TALKS WITH MUMBAI TRADERS TO SOLVE BOYCOTT ISSUE

NEW DELHI - Drug firm Novartis India,
which is facing a threat from traders' association in Mumbai to
boycott its products, on Friday said it is in talks with the
traders to resolve the issue.

"Novartis India Ltd is in dialogue with the trade
associations on the issue," a company spokesperson said in
response to a written query.

INDIA'S SUVEN LIFE SCIENCES COMPLETES TRAIL OF ALZHEIMER'S DRUG

MUMBAI - Suven Life Sciences (BSE: 530239) on
Thursday said it had completed the phase I clinical trial in
Switzerland for its new molecule - SUVN 502 - used in the
treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

"The company has completed its Phase I multiple ascending
dose study of SUVN-502 in healthy volunteers," Suven Life
Sciences said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

JAPAN'S TAKEDA MOVING TO PHASE II TRIALS ON ANOTHER CANCER DRUG

TOKYO - Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.
(TSE:4502) expects to move into phase II clinical trials within
the year on a cancer drug candidate developed by U.S.
bioventure Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., which Takeda
acquired in 2008.

MLN4924 is being developed as both oral and injection
preparations and is now in phase I trials in the U.S. It works
by inhibiting NEDD8, an enzyme essential to cancer cell
proliferation.

TOYOTA TSUSHO TEAMS WITH CANADIAN FIRM ON DRUG DEVELOPMENT

TOKYO - The Toyota Tsusho Corp.
(TSE:8015) announced Friday plans to enter the drug development
support business in partnership with Canadian chemical contract
research company ChemRoutes Corp.

Under an agreement it has signed to be ChemRoutes' general
sales agent in Japan, trading house Toyota Tsusho will sell
ChemRoutes compounds to Japanese pharmaceutical
manufacturers.

JAPAN'S SEVEN & I, AIN PHARMACIEZ TO FORM DRUG JV IN MAY

TOKYO - japan's Seven & i Holdings Co.
(TSE:3382) announced Thursday that it will create a joint
venture with Ain Pharmaciez Inc. (TSE:9627) to run a drugstore
chain and develop generic drugs.

The two sides have reached a basic agreement to establish
the new firm in late May. Seven & i will take a 10 per cent
stake, with group firms Ito-Yokado Co. and Seven-Eleven Japan
Co. acquiring interests of 50 per cent and 10 per cent
respectively. The remainder of the firm will belong to Ain
Pharmaciez.

AUST FOOD CO PULLS NUTS FROM STORES ON SALMONELLA SCARE

SYDNEY - An Australian company is
pulling its range of pistachio nut-based products off store
shelves, after a salmonella scare hit its American supplier.

South Australia-based Nocelle Foods is conducting a
voluntary recall of its nut and yoghurt products. A company
spokesman said it was a precautionary move and no Australians
had fallen ill.

FITCH DOWNGRADES WOCKHARDT INDIA RATINGS

MUMBAI - Credit rating agency Fitch on
Wednesday downgraded ratings of the long-term debt programmes
of Wockhardt Ltd (India) (BSE: 532300) to a level indicating an
extremely weak credit profile.

The downgrade from rating B (ind) to C (ind) follows the
public information showing that the company has stopped making
its scheduled debt payments pending finalisation of its
corporate debt restructuring plan, Fitch said in a statement.

S KOREAN GOVT BANS IMPORTS OF TALCUM POWDER CONTAINING ASBESTOS

SEOUL - The government decided on
Thursday to ban imports of talcum powder that contains
asbestos, a cancer-causing substance, following a recent
scandal involving the carcinogen detected in baby powder
products.

The Korea Food & Drug Administration banned the sale of baby
powder products made by eight manufacturers last week after
their products were found to contain asbestos, a mineral that
can cause serious illnesses, including lung cancer, when
inhaled.

DAIICHI SANKYO ANTI-CLOTTING DRUG MAKES WORLD DEBUT IN U.K.

TOKYO - The Daiichi Sankyo Co.
(TSE:4568) said Wednesday that its Efient anti-clotting agent
had been launched in the U.K., the drug's first market.

Positioned as Daiichi Sankyo's next blockbuster, Efient
was discovered with Ube Industries Ltd. (TSE:4208).

KYOTO UNIV LICENSES STEM CELL PATENTS TO 2 BIOTECH FIRMS

OSAKA - Kyoto University's affiliated
stem cell patent management firm has reached licensing
agreements with two Japanese biotech start-ups.

Shinya Yamanaka, a professor in the university's department
of stem cell biology, succeeded in generating stem cells from
human skin in 2007.

KOREAN RECALL FOR DRUGS SUSPECTED OF ASBESTOS CONTAMINATION

SEOUL - South Korea's health authorities
on Thursday decided to ban the sale of 1,222 medicine products
and ordered their recall as they are suspected to be
contaminated with asbestos.

The products include those made by such high-profile drug
manufacturers as Dong-A Pharm. and Hanmi Pharm. (KSE:008930),
according to the Korea Food and Drug Administration. A total of
120 drug makers are subject to the regulatory measure.

INDIA'S STRIDES ARCOLAB GETS USFDA NOD FOR HIV TABLETS

MUMBAI - Indian pharmaceutical firm
Strides Arcolab (BSE:532531) on Wednesday said it has received
nod from US administration for dose combination of Lamivudine
and Stavudine tablets used to treat adults and children who are
infected with HIV.

It has received approval from the United States Food and
Drug Administration for one new drug application for fixed dose
combination of Lamivudine and Stavudine tablets, Strides
Arcolab said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

US OFFERS VIETNAM $US7.3MLN TO COMBAT BIRD FLU

HANOI - The US Government will provide
$US7.3 million through the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) to Vietnam to implement two projects on preventing and
combating bird flu.

The documents relating to the projects were signed by Deputy
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan and
FAO Representative Andrew Speedy, in Hanoi on April 8.

CHINA'S HEALTH-CARE REFORM TO REQUIRE SOFTWARE WORTH US$1.5 MLN

BEIJING - China's 850 billion yuan
(US$124 billion) health-care reform blueprints call for at
least US$1.5 billion in orders for the global software
industry, IBM's Chinese development laboratory said.

The American computer giant said that according to the
health-care reform more than 1,000 Chinese hospitals would each
spend at least US$1.5 million in establishing electronic
medical records.

NOVARTIS INDIA WEBSITE IS HACKED

NEW DELHI - The website of the Indian
arm of Swiss drug major Novartis was hacked on Tuesday.

When contacted, a company spokesperson confirmed the report
to PTI, saying "we will make all efforts to ensure that the
website is up and running at the earliest."

GUNZE'S NEW ARTIFICIAL HEART MEMBRANE DISSOLVES AFTER SURGERY

TOKYO - Japan's Gunze Ltd. (TSE:3002)
has developed a biodegradable artificial pericardium material
that will completely dissolve some three months after heart
surgery.

The pericardium, or the membrane sac that encloses the
heart, must be cut open to access the heart for surgery.

JAPAN'S ASAHI KASEI TO MARKET HEART ASSIST DEVICE OVERSEAS

TOKYO - Asahi Kasei Corp. (TSE:3407) and Nagano Prefecture-based medical equipment maker Misuzu & Sun Medical Holdings Co. announced Tuesday an agreement to cooperate on overseas development and marketing of an implantable heart assist device.

Asahi Kasei has invested US$7.5 million, or roughly 750 million yen, to take a 60 per cent stake in Misuzu subsidiary Evaheart Medical USA Inc. Asahi Kasei will also shoulder the cost of U.S. clinical trials, which is expected to total billions of yen.

BANGLADESH TEAM LEAVES FOR LIBYA TO SEEK BIZ OPPORTUNITIES

DHAKA - A 10-member high profile
business team is leaving here for Libya on Wednesday to tap
business opportunities in manpower, garment and medicine.

During its weeklong tour, the delegation, led by Enayet
Karim, CEO of Dhaka International Exhibition Company Limited
(DIEC) and President of Global Economic Forum, will meet
different chamber of commerce and trade associations.

INDIAN DRUG MAKERS WELCOME TO JOIN 'PATENT POOL' PROG: GSK

NEW DELHI - Global drug major
GlaxoSmithKline has said Indian drug makers and research firms
can join its 'patent pool' programme aimed at developing low
cost drugs for 16 neglected tropical diseases.

The company recently launched the 'patent pool' programme
aimed at developing drugs at a cheaper price for 16 neglected
tropical diseases (NTDs) in poor countries.

AUSTRALIANS TO PAY LESS FOR DRUGS UNDER BUDGET PLAN: PAPER

SYDNEY - Australian consumers would pay
less for 100 common prescription medicines under a budget plan
to cut the price paid to drug companies.

The plan would result in savings of hundreds of millions of
dollars a year and lower the price of some common medicines,
including blood pressure, cholesterol and arthritis drugs, The
Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.

ANALYSIS: CHINA'S HEALTH-CARE REFORM PLAN POSITIVE ON MEDICAL INDUSTRY

BEIJING - China's health-care reform
blueprint, unveiled on Monday, by the State Council, or the
cabinet, is much in line with industry expectation.

And the follow-up action plan for the three years from 2009
to 2011, published Tuesday, along with the pending release of
the catalogue of basic medicines and measures relating to
unified guiding price for basic medicines will cast concrete
impact on health-care companies and the pharmaceutical industry
as a whole, analysts hold.

CHINA TO TACKLE RURAL MEDICAL STAFF SHORTAGES UNDER NEW PLAN

BEIJING - China will deal with shortages
of medical staff in underdeveloped rural areas under medical
system reform plans published Tuesday.

In the reform plan for 2009-2011, China pledged to offer
about 1.9 million training sessions for village and township
medical clinics and urban community medical institutions over
the next three years.

CHINA UNVEILS PLAN FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO BASIC HEALTH CARE

BEIJING - China unveiled a three-year
action plan on health care reform Tuesday, which it said would
lay a solid foundation for equitable and universal access to
essential health care for all in China.

Under the 850 billion yuan (US$124 billion) plan for 2009 to
2011, the government promised universal access to basic health
insurance, introduction of an essential drug system, improved
primary health care facilities, equitable access to basic
public health services and pilot reform of state-run
hospitals.

CHINA TO SET UP HEALTH CLINICS IN EVERY VILLAGE WITHIN 3 YEARS

BEIJING - China will set up at least one
clinic in every village within three years to improve health
care at grassroots level, according to an implementation plan
for medical reform released by the State Council on Tuesday.

The government will also support the construction of 2,000
hospitals at the county level to guarantee that each county has
a hospital that meets the national standard, the three-year
plan (2009-2011) said. More township hospitals and clinics will
be built or expanded in 2009.

PHILIPPINES' BFAD CONDUCTS CONTAMINATION TESTS ON IMPORTED NUTS

MANILA - After it ordered a recall of
imported pistachio nuts and pistachio products from the United
States for reported salmonella contamination, the Bureau of
Food and Drugs (BFAD) said Tuesday it is also conducting tests
on similar products imported from other countries.

BFAD director Leticia Barbara Gutierrez said in a radio
interview they have also gathered pistachio products from other
countries which will be tested with other products imported
from the US.

TURKMEN STUDENTS DISCUSS SAVE MOTHERHOOD AT USAID CONFERENCE

ASHGABAT - Turkmenistan hosted an
interactive student conference on safe motherhood in the
Scientific-Clinical Center of Maternal and Child Health by the
Turkmen State Medical Institute with support of the ZdravPlus
project of the USAID on April 4.

Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medical
Industry, Health Information Center, international
organization, teachers and students of medical school, and
staff of the Clinical Center for Maternal and Child Health
attended the conference.

TURKMENISTAN HOSTS WORLD HEALTH DAY CONFERENCE

ASHGABAT - `People's health - basis of
the life' is the motto of a conference being held at Magtymguly
Turkmen State University to mark World Health Day which is
celebrated by our country together with world community on
April 7.

The public organisations, the Ministry of Education and
administration of Magtymguly Turkmen State University organized
the forum, reports Turkmen State News Agency (TDH).

INDIA'S WOCKHARDT TO SELL MINORITY STAKE IN HOSPITAL BIZ

NEW DELHI - Debt-ridden Wockhardt
(BSE:532300) today said it will sell only a minority stake in
its Indian healthcare chain, Wockhardt Hospitals.

"We have expressed interests to sell a minority stake in the
hospital chain to an investor," a Wockhardt Spokesperson said
but declined to give further details about the quantum and
valuation of the stake sale.

JAPAN'S OTSUKA PHARMA EXTENDS BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB DEAL TO '15

TOKYO - Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. said
Monday that it has extended its contract with U.S. drugmaker
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. for the aripiprazole anti-psychotic
and will receive a lump-sum payment of 400 million dollars.

The agreement, which covers joint development and marketing
in the U.S., was extended for two years and five months and now
runs through April 2015. The two firms originally signed the
deal in 1999, and U.S. sales of the anti-psychotic began in
2002.

U.S.- AFFILIATED MEDICAL DEVICE MAKERS FORM ASSOCIATION IN JAPAN

TOKYO - The local arms of 62 U.S.
medical device companies have formed an association to promote
their mutual interests in Japan.

The American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturer's
Association (AMDD) will lobby on behalf of its members to speed
up the process in Japan by which new medical devices become
approved for marketing.

CHINA TO PAY FOR US$4 MLN HOSPITAL IN N. VIETNAM

LAO CAI - A Chinese-invested hospital,
worth 70 billion VND (US$3.92 million), will be built in the
northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

The 500-bed hospital is a joint venture between the Lao Cai
Medical Centre and a hospital of the Chinese province of
Yunnan.

AGILENT LAUNCHES INDIA INNOVATION INITIATIVE

NEW DELHI - Communication and life
sciences analyst Agilent Technologies on Monday announced the
launch of the India Innovation Initiative (i3) in collaboration
with the Department of Science and Technology and industry body
CII.

"The programme has the objective of creating an eco system
for conducive growth by promoting innovators and facilitating
commercialisation of such project, which could a new idea,
technology or software," Agilent Technology President and
Country General Manger (India ) Venkatesh Valluri told
reporters here.

AUSTRALIAN DRUG CO DERMATECH RECALLING CONTAMINATED SKIN OINTMENT

CANBERRA - Australian medicines company
Dermatech is recalling batches of skin ointment contaminated
with a chemical linked to tumours in animals.

The recall follows consultations between the nation's
medicines regulator - the Therapeutic Goods Administration
(TGA) - and Sydney-based Dermatech Laboratories Pty Ltd.

KEBUN RIMAU TO BE MALAYSIA'S FIRST NONI FRUIT-BASED POWDER PRODUCER

TAWAU (Malaysia) - Kebun Rimau Sdn Bhd
will emerge as the first Noni powder producer in the country
when mass production begins before year-end.

Kebun Rimau General Manager K. Arunagirinathan said
facilities to produce the noni fruit-based powder has been set
up within the integrated plantation area and production trial
was in progress.

S KOREAN RESEARCHERS DEVELOPING ARTIFICIAL EARDRUMS, BONE FROM SILK

SEOUL - South Korean researchers are
close to developing artificial eardrums and bone from silk
proteins that could spur local production of the material, a
state-run laboratory said Tuesday.

The National Academy of Agricultural Science (NAAS) under
the Rural Development Administration said development of
silk-based eardrums is almost complete, with the first
prototype to be unveiled within the year. The eardrum will be
the first of its kind in the world since most products on the
market are made from plastic and silicon.

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