The NASDAQ stock market has launched a new Health Care Index (NASDAQ:IXHC), a market-value weighted index that contains NASDAQ listed companies classified as health, pharmaceutical or biotechnology. [ + ]

BioTech Capital (ASX:BTC) investee Stem Cell Sciences (SCS) has been granted additional claims to the 'stem cell selection' patented technology by the US Patent and Trademark Office. [ + ]

Public support for the use of stem cells and gene therapies has increased in Australia, and support for cloning humans remains low, according to a survey conducted by commonwealth agency Biotechnology Australia. [ + ]

The federal government endorsed the recommendations of the Science Industry Action Agenda Measure by Measure report on July 12, giving the go ahead for the eight recommendations made in the report to be implemented. [ + ]

Selwyn Snell has resigned as the CEO and a director of BioProspect (ASX:BPO), after three years with the company. [ + ]

Singapore's Rockeby biomed (ASX:RBY) has raised just over AUD$1 million in a non-renounceable one-for-one share rights issue to shareholders, approximately $786,000 less than the AUD$1.78 million it hoped for. [ + ]

Sydney-based devices company USCOM (ASX:UCM) has received its first US orders for its heart monitoring equipment. [ + ]

Melbourne and California-based ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CXS) has been awarded two linkage project grants worth AUD$525,000 in cash from the Australian Research Council (ARC) over the next three years. [ + ]

Melbourne-based biotech managed investment group EQiTX (ASX:EQX) has increased its ownership in pain management company ZingoTX to 54 per cent with an equity instalment of AUD$300,000, bringing its total investment in ZingoTX to $1.9 million. [ + ]

Antibody therapeutic developer EvoGenix closed its initial public offer (IPO) today oversubscribed, raising AUD$9 million through the issue of 36 million shares at $0.25. [ + ]

Microscopy company Iatia (ASX:IAT) will achieve its first positive operating cash flow quarter for the period ended June 30. [ + ]

David Williams, the CEO designate of Perth-based antimicrobial specialist Chemeq (ASX:CMQ), begins his new role on August 1 and is excited about running the company. [ + ]

Adelaide-based GroPep's (ASX:GRO) net profit after tax for the 2004-2005 financial year has been boosted by a one-off tax benefit of AUD$3.4 million, and is now expected to be approximately $6.4 million compared with a previous estimate of $3 million. [ + ]

Melbourne-based biopharma Biota Holdings (ASX:BTA) today took the next step in its lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), filing particulars of loss and damage with the Victorian Supreme Court estimated to be in the range of AUD$308 million to $430 million. [ + ]

Life Therapeutics (ASX:LFE) will relocate two of its three business divisions from Sydney to Atlanta, Georgia in the USA by March 31, 2006. [ + ]