Ambri receives A$6.5 M from government for avian influenza project

Australian biotechnology group Ambri says that it has received a grant from the government for the development of a rapid diagnostic test for avian influenza. The grant, which forms part of the A$6.5 million ($4.8 million) provided for the R&D into products to control the spread of the virus, will total A$425,000 and is to be shared equally between Ambri and the Australian Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science.

Ambri's chief executive, Roman Zwolenski, said that the project, initially scheduled to last six months, would lead to the manufacture of a locally-produced diagnostic test for bird flu, and would build on the firm's existing prototype biosensor test kit which can detect several influenza virus serotypes, including H5N1.