Annuaire De La Bio-Industrie Et Des Biotechnologies 1985

Trendsin Biotechnology, VoL 3, No. 3, 1985 and pyrogenicity has raised several problems. The different interferons have different properties and developing standards is difficult. No one assay is sufficient to give all the information required. While interferon preparations are not generally positive when tested for the presence of endotoxins, they may be pyrogenic intrinsically, posing questions about the biological implications and regulatory matters.

81 These topics are covered in this book, which is the proceedings of a workshop held in September 1983, to discuss the introduction of interferon into the clinic. The workshop was designed to effect exchange of information among the National Center for Drugs and Biologicals, scientists, clinicians and manufacturers. The presentations covered provide a view of participant's concerns at that time. As a book, the

activity; so if you want to know which firms are interested in energy production and use, for instance, you have a ANNUAIREDE LA BIO-INDUSTRIEET ready made list. However, there are DES BIOTECHNOLOGIES1985 only eight categories of activity given, necessitating reference to the original Biofutur, 1085. 40OFF(9 + 283pages) entries each time if a narrower field is As with the magazine produced by the required. Much better from this point Biofutur team, the ADEBIO (Associa- of view is the index of professional and tion pour le D6veloppement de la Bio- government bodies which is regularly Industrie) directory is stylish, attractive divided by such specific interest suband professionally presented; one can't headings as fish, meat, potatoes, condihelp but feel that the compilers and ments, gruyere, biscuits, wine, beer and designers not only entered whole- many more of a less gastronomic heartedly into their task but also nature. actually enjoyed it. The compilers have obviously been In its organization, the directory intent on thoroughness and will be forresembles the technico-commercial given for casting their nets wide to animal it describes. Leading the way, catch organizations whose interests are and occupying the most column inches, only peripherally connected with bioare the industrial concerns (nearly 600 technology. And the inclusion of Agri entries). They are followed by the Truffe, truffle producers of Saintpublic research and development Macaire, is as classy a stroke as you will organizations (nearly 450 entries) see in a biotechnology directory. which, in turn, are supported by the There is a further index, geographprofessional associations, scientific ical this time - subdivided into the 95 bodies, technical press and government French postal regions plus Martinique. departments (nearly 300 entries in The inclusion of this index and the fact total). All these are backed eventually that the directory is written entirely in by the financial community (17 entries French strongly suggest that it is inprecisely). tended exclusively to encourage contact The industrial section is indexed by and collaboration within the home

Cherchez la bio-industrie

material will become seriously dated, for those directly involved with interferon. Howeve r, for researchers investigating other new biologicals it provides valuable insights into problems of their development into new pharmaceuticals. JOHN MORSER Codon, 430 Valley Drive, Brisbane, California 94005, USA. market. Might one venture to suggest that the publishers may have missed a trick here: although most of the biotechnological terms are readily translatable- fermenteur, acides aminds, insuline humaine, anticorps monoclonaux others are not. Levure, amidon, and betteraves have nothing to do with taxes, ultrafilters or 'usbands (respectively) but are, as you no doubt already knew, yeast, starch and sugar beets. Perhaps one or two of the blank pages in the manual could have been used to acquaint non-French speakers with some of the less obvious terms, thereby creating an international guide! This is a very slight criticism, of course, and one which is not intended to detract from the value of the directory. It will go a long way towards helping ADEBIO in drawing together the French resources in biotechnology and, with very many of the entries appended with contact names, it will also be invaluable for organizations looking to expand their interests in France. Finally, despite its comprehensive content and highly polished appearance it is an order of magnitude cheaper than most of the offerings of its kind. JOHN HODGSON