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AUSTRALIA — AIBN and Dow Launch Research Collaboration.

CHINA — US and China Ink Biofuels Cooperation Pact.

INDIA — Sanofi-Aventis Opens First Asian Pharmaceutical Development Center in India.

INDIA — India and France to Co-operate on Medical Research and Biotechnology.

INDONESIA — Bird Flu Resurfaces in Asia.

NEW ZEALAND — NZBio Launches Stem Cell Network.

NEW ZEALAND — Killer Hospital Superbug Infected 65 Patients.

SINGAPORE — MerLion Pharmaceuticals Wins Prestigious Pharmaceutical Industry Scrip Award.

SINGAPORE — ES Cell International Announces the Production of World's First Clinical-Grade Stem Cell Lines.

SINGAPORE — Association of Clinical Research Professionals Inaugurates Chapter in Singapore.

SOUTH KOREA — Disgraced South Korean Cloning Scientist Seeks Comeback.

SOUTH KOREA — Scientists Unlock Nanotube-Making Strain of Bacteria.

SOUTH KOREA — Samsung to Open Cancer Center.

Since the discovery of cisplatin, drugs based on platinum, have made a significant impact on the treatment of various cancers. The administration of platinum drugs is however accompanied by significant side effects. This chapter discusses the types of drug delivery systems that have been developed in order to enable the targeted delivery while maintaining controlled temporal supply of the drug. The sizes of carriers range from nanometer to micrometer sized particles. The most common types of drug carriers are micelles, liposomes, nanoparticles, and dendrimers, but also a few microspheres have been developed. Most striking aspect of the delivery of platinum drugs is the possibility of physical encapsulation but also the binding of the drug to the polymer carrier coordinate covalent bond. Since platinum drugs have typically two permanent and two leaving ligands, the polymer can be part of either ligand. As the leaving ligand, the platinum drug is released often as cisplatin. If the polymer provides the functionality for the permanent ligand, a new macromolecular drug has been formed. In addition to the attachment of pt(II) drugs, recent offorts are devoted to the conjugation via the Pt((IV) prodrug.

Nanotechnology has become a distinctive field of research, aimed to modernize the way scientists have addressed urgent needs and sophisticated problems, towards the achievement of unprecedented discoveries. Amidst the myriad of materials extensively used in the modern society, carbon-based systems seem to embody a significant role especially where endurance and strength are required: carbon nanoparticles, nanotubes, graphite, diamonds and fullerenes et al. In addition to the above advantages, this review also emphasizes some concerns on the carbonnanosystems and which are mainly attributable to the lack of an exhaustive characterization and to the potential hazardous effects deriving from their potential accumulation in the environment and inside the body.