The Weekly News Update is a weekly roundup of business news from around the Asia-Pacific region, covering Fusion Consulting's core industry practices: chemicals, consumer & retail, financial services, industrial & logistics, information & communication technology, life science and media & leisure. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.  Life science

India - MNCs have a healthy share of cancer drug patent claims Source: Business Standard, 24 March 2008 A city-based policy research group puts the number of cancer drug patent applications pending with the patent office at 413. Of these, 358 came from top multinationals like Novartis, Aventis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Boehringer, Roche and Abbot. The rush for patents on cancer medicine can be explained by the potential of the Rs12 billion (US$299 million) Indian market. With nearly 2.5 million patients, cancer is one of the ten leading causes of death in India. Data sources from the National Cancer Registry Programme show that over 700,000 new cases and 300,000 deaths occur annually due to cancer.  Singapore - Veredus in lab tie-up for diagnostic tool R&D Source: Business Times Singapore, 25 March 2008 Singapore's biotech firm Veredus Laboratories and European semiconductor player STMicroelectronics have developed a diagnostic chip that can detect more than 10 different human flu strains. Called VereFlu, the device has been commercially launched in Singapore. Developers have already marketed it to places such as hospitals, airports and border checkpoints. The two partners are looking to apply the technology to other infectious diseases, oncology and heart-disease markers. They have opened a lab in Singapore to develop further applications of their diagnostic tool for the detection of diseases. Vietnam - Singapore firm sets up Viet stem cell bank Source: The Straits Times, 24 March 2008 Singapore's biotech firm CordLabs has tied-up with Vietnam's MekoPhar Chemical Pharmaceutical Joint-Stock Company to set up Vietnam's first stem cell bank. CellResearch, the parent company of CordLabs, will also work with Vietnam's Science and Technology Ministry in the country's maiden foray into stem-cell research. The S$1 million (US$0.7 million) facility is expected to store several hundred samples in its public facility in the first few years, mainly for research. The latest tie-up will give CordLabs a foothold in the lucrative tissue-banking market, worth an estimated US$100 million in the United States alone.     View an example of our experience in this industry. Back to list of articles.  Visit our new website to sign up for free intelligence on Asian markets.

This Weekly News Update is a free newsletter, providing a round-up of the week's Asia-Pacific news from our core industry practices. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.

Fusion Consulting is a business intelligence consultancy providing clear strategic advice on Asia-Pacific markets. With offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and 400 industry consultants in 16 countries, we conduct custom research and consulting to help companies understand their markets, compete more effectively and grow into new areas of opportunity. Email more@fusionc.com or visit www.fusionc.com for more information.