The Commonwealth Government, through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), has announced this year’s successful recipients of grants of a total more than A$100 million for leading medical research and clinical trials being conducted at universities and research centres.

Some of the biggest names in Australian science are among the big winners of more than AUD$100 million in National Health and Medical Research Council grants, announced on Wednesday. [ + ]

Australian animal health company, Vet Biotechnology, has been given the green light to perform equine supply stem cell therapies for tendon and ligament injuries in Australia. [ + ]

The National Party's leader in the senate, Senator Ron Boswell, has urged scientists to make submissions to the independent committee appointed to review federal laws restricting stem cell research in Australia. [ + ]

Melbourne-based Cryptome Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CRP) and the National Trauma Research Institute (NTRI), at the Alfred Hospital, have signed an agreement that will accelerate Cryptome's drug discovery platform in neuroinflammation. [ + ]

AVT Plasma (ASX:AVT) has suspended trading in its shares, following a board decision to wind up the company and appoint a provisional liquidator. [ + ]

A new lab study has shown that Brisbane-based Tissue Therapies' (ASX:TIS) VitroGro technology could stimulate the growth of human skin cells, offering hope for a new treatment for diabetic ulcers, the company said. [ + ]

The independent committee appointed to review federal laws restricting stem cell research in Australia met for the first time yesterday, in Sydney. [ + ]

NeuroDiscovery, a Perth-based neurology-focused biotech company, has lodged an IPO prospectus with ASIC to raise funds and acquire 100 per cent of NeuroSolutions, a UK-based service provider and drug discovery company. [ + ]

Probiotec, which bought Agenix' Milton Pharmaceuticals division earlier this year, has relocated from Brisbane to Victoria. [ + ]

Macquarie University spinoff Fluorotechnics is establishing a reputation for lucrative liaisons with giants, announcing a global marketing agreement with Sigma Aldrich for its new-tech FluoroProfile protein-quantification kits. [ + ]

A lacklustre third quarter for Australian biotechnology stocks resulted in an overall fall of almost 20 per cent for the year ending June 2005, according to the Intersuisse Biotechnology Index. [ + ]

Adult stem cell company Mesoblast (ASX:MSV), which listed on the ASX six months ago, has appointed the Bank of New York to establish and maintain a Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. [ + ]

Patients suffering from chronic HIV infection are no longer under the risk of the deadly drug treatment reaction thanks to advances in genetic screening technology.

Sydney-based Life Therapeutics (ASX:LFE) has firmed up its stake in the global plasma supply industry, issuing a definitive letter of intent to acquire privately-held California-based Pyramid Biological for US$13 million, plus assumption of US$7 million debt. [ + ]