At the recent AIDS2008 conference in Mexico City, one of the few positive pieces of news for the continually growing number of AIDS sufferers worldwide was provided by Oslo-based Bionor Immuno. The company took the opportunity at the world’s largest ever AIDS conference with over 27,000 delegates to announce its therapeutic vaccine candidate Vaxx-4 is entering into a pivotal Phase IIb global trial.

In a grand ceremony in the Oslo Concert Hall on 9 September, Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon Magnus presented the inaugural Kavli Prizes in nanoscience, neuroscience and astrophysics to seven laureates from three continents. The million-dollar awards recognize fundamental advances in these fast-moving fields.

Impressions of the Life Sciences Community in Oslo
Richard Gallagher, editor and publisher of The Scientist

I recently took a whirlwind tour of some of the life science enterprises in Oslo. As editor of the publication that claims to be “Magazine of the Life Sciences” I am a biotech enthusiast, almost a junkie - I always get a buzz out of talking to researchers and entrepreneurs. But this trip stood out as being especially exciting. On reflection, it should have been no great surprise to me that Oslo is beginning to have a big impact in the life sciences, especially in areas like cancer diagnostics and therapy.

Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park
Oslo Cancer Cluster has just signed a deal with the City of Oslo to build a brand new Innovation Park next-door to the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo.

Bio-Medisinsk Innovasjon AS (BMI) is a specialized incubator in Oslo for biomedical start-up companies. The company, founded in 2003, has gradually built a portfolio of ownership in biomedical start-up companies and a corresponding capital base.

Latest news from Affitech, Algeta, Axis-Shield, Clavis, DiaGenic, OptiNose, PCI, Navamedic, Nordiag, PhotoCure and Pronova.

Therapeutic vaccine allows priceless “drug-free” holidays

Bionor Immuno is a leading therapeutic vaccine company targeting the HIV market.  Here, Managing Director Birger Sorensen, takes us through the background to the company's recent announcement at AIDS2008 in Mexico City that its vaccine is entering the largest ever global Phase 11b trial.

Ole Petter Ottersen awarded major prize
Professor Ole Petter Ottersen at Centre for Molecular Biology and Neuroscience (CMBN) at the University of Oslo has been granted the Anders Jahres Prize for medicine for 2008 for his outstanding scientific achievements in the research of signal molecules and water channels in the brain.

Norwegian-Swedish Innovation and Entrepreneurship during Biotech Forum

MedCoast Scandinavia will be presented at Northern Europe’s largest meeting place for the biomedical sector. This year’s event will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark September 23 - 25.

Sonitor wins award, Med-Storm files 510K, HP Center of Excellence opens...

MareLife starting to make waves
MareLife is a new biomarine innovation network based in Oslo. Its 26 members represent major stakeholders with a primary interest in innovation: trendsetting manufacturers, solution providers, startups and ventures, venture capital, contemporary scientific organizations and public sector facilitators.

Meet representatives from the Oslo life science sector at the following events: