Australian clinical stage immuno-oncology firm, Imugene Limited (ASX:IMU) has received approval from Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) to initiate a Phase I clinical trial of PD1-Vaxx in Australia. A comprehensive cancer hospital situated in Sydney, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is the first one to attain ethics approval. Further clinical sites will be opened in Australia as well as the US, following an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) investigational new drug (IND). Imugene notified that the ethics approval process represents the first independent review of PD1-Vaxx pre-clinical efficacy and safety data. As at 12:51 PM AEST, IMU traded at $0.035, with a rise of ~3%.
ABS data revealed that total payroll jobs in June end were still 5.7% below mid-March when Australia confirmed its 100th coronavirus case. Payroll jobs worked by females improved with 0.8% increase in June compared to 0.1% fall for males. Job losses for people under 20 were about 23% by mid-April but lowered to around 5% by June end. Industries employing the largest proportions of people aged under 20, Accommodation and food services and Retail trade witnessed further rise in payroll jobs of 8.9% and 1.6%, respectively in June. Head of labor statistics at ABS stated that total payroll jobs have increased by 3.3% and about 35% of payroll jobs initially lost had been retained by June end.
Westpac has ended a near six-month job search to replace its chief financial officer by appointing KPMG partner Michael Rowland to the top role. Mr Rowland will take up the position later this year, closing a recruitment drive sparked by Westpac’s 2019 AUSTRAC scandal that thrust then CFO Peter King to take helm of the country’s second largest bank. Mr Rowland had held previous senior executive positions at rival bank ANZ, including CFO of its institutional and wealth divisions. He was also the previous CFO of ING Australia from 2002 to 2004. Gary Thurby will continue as Westpac’s acting CFO until Mr Rowland’s regulatory approval is finalised.
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