Perth-based Solbec Pharmaceuticals (ASX:SBP) has paid a AUD$33,000 fine after being issued with an infringement notice by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for allegedly failing to disclose information to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) relating to a drug trial. [ + ]

A new research centre to battle diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis, called the Endocrine Centre of Excellence, was opened at Austin Health in Melbourne today. [ + ]

Results in Brief: Vertex, Varian, Watson, Chiron, Alcon, Eyetech, Elan, NicOx, MorphoSys, Actelion, AstraZeneca, Shire, GSK, Bristol-Myers Squibb, QLT, Millennium, Celgene, Invitrogen, InterMune, Charles River, Ranbaxy, Takeda, Sankyo, Daiichi, Solvay [ + ]

Melbourne biopharma Cryptome's (ASX:CRP) proprietary drug-screening technology has struck a highly prospective vein just 12 months after beginning its first major dig into the human proteome in search of novel anti-cancer drugs. [ + ]

Peplin (ASX:PEP) has suspended its shares from the ASX's official quotation in the lead-up to an announcement. [ + ]

Jim Bishop, CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, spoke about the state of play at the Institute 18 months after its launch, the progress it has made so far and its plans for the coming year at in Sydney last week. [ + ]

Sydney biomaterials company Avastra (ASX:AVS) has decided not to exercise its option to acquire the global rights to the Universitaetsklinikum Freiburg's Benz Stent technology. [ + ]

Norwood Immunology, a subsidiary of Norwood Abbey (ASX:NAL) has been granted a additional patent relating to its immunology technology for a number of Eurasian territories, including Russia. [ + ]

The recent installation of new equipment at antimicrobial specialist Chemeq's (ASX:CMQ) Rockingham manufacturing facility has overcome a filtration issue identified during commissioning of the plant. [ + ]

Newly listed Sydney biopharma Apollo (ASX:AOP) has added another 10 more human-expressed proteins (HEPs) to its library, bringing its portfolio of provisionally patented proteins to 60. [ + ]

Three days after the death of the first patient to be implanted with its C-Pulse heart-assist pump, Sunshine Heart (ASX:SHC) has announced that a second patient has been successfully implanted with the device in a two-hour operation at New Zealand's Auckland City Hospital. [ + ]

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a clinical trial of Melbourne biopharma Cytopia's (ASX:CYT) promising dual-acting lead anti-cancer molecule CYT997. [ + ]

Thermo Electron has concluded an OEM Agreement with Sotax AG, whereby Sotax dissolution baths will be offered with Thermo's Nicolet Evolution 300 UV/vis spectrophotometer. This collaboration will provide pharmaceutical customers with a high-quality, complete, and automated turnkey system supporting various pharmacopoeia methods.

Brisbane biotech BioProspect (ASX:BPO) has hit heavy cloud in its attempts to secure international partners to commercialise its novel plant-derived pesticides, but feels the sun is beginning to shine on its investment in Astrum Therapeutics. [ + ]

The first patient to receive Sunshine Heart's (ASX:SHC) C-Pulse heart assist device on May 4, has died from multi-organ failure, 11.5 weeks after the implant. [ + ]