RNA-interference therapeutics company Nucleonics has disputed claims by Queensland rival Benitec (ASX:BTL) that two new Australian patents on RNAi technology granted to the Medical College of Georgia Research Institute are "largely irrelevant" to companies involved in medical applications of RNAi. [ + ]

The launch of what is being touted as a new NZ $150 million (AUD$140 million) Australasian life-science venture capital fund, has grabbed centre stage on the first day of the NZBio conference in Auckland. [ + ]

The withdrawal of Tysabri in mid-Feburary not only "gutted" both Elan and Biogen Idec, but also hit the share prices of other publicly traded biopharmaceutical firms, sending the Burrill Biotech Select Index tumbling to end February down 2 per cent. [ + ]

AustCancer (ASX:ACU) shares have clawed back some of their recent losses since the company announced last Wednesday it has appointed US biotech executive Len Firestone as CEO. And although Firestone's recent experience would seem to make him something of a merger-specialist, he insists that he was not recruited to catalyse a merger. [ + ]

Richard Opara has withdrawn his request for a extraordinary general meeting at Sydney device company Polartechnics (ASX:PLT), the company announced today. [ + ]

Five biotechnology projects were amongst $19 million worth of AusIndustry R&D Start grants announced today by federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane. [ + ]

Recently listed Dia-B Tech (ASX:DIA) has appointed general manager Ken Smith as CEO. [ + ]

Avexa (ASX:AVX) consultant James Sawyer outlined to investors this week the company's plans for its Phase IIb clinical trial of AVX754, the HIV drug it recently acquired from UK company Shire Pharmaceuticals. [ + ]

Sydney monoclonal antibody therapeutics developer PacMab - which this week raised AUD$700,000 in equity funding -- is in the late stages of clinical pre-testing of a humanised monoclonal antibodies that binds to an antigen expressed exclusively by multiple myeloma cells. [ + ]

Melbourne anti-viral drug developer Biota Holdings (ASX:BTA) has signed an agreement with American company Aerogen (NASDAQ:AEGN) to use Aerogen's Aeroneb nebuliser in clinical trials of new, long-acting anti-viral compounds for influenza developed by Biota and its Japanese partner Sankyo. [ + ]

Cytopia (ASX:CYT) today filed an Investigational New Drug Application with the US Food and Drug Administration, seeking approval to test its cancer drug candidate CYT997 in the clinic. [ + ]

Antisense Therapeutics (ASX:ANP) bowed to the inevitable today, announcing that it would halt the Phase IIa trial of its lead drug candidate for multiple sclerosis, ATL1102, following the withdrawal of Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals' Tysabri from the market. However the Melbourne company has not yet terminated the project altogether. [ + ]

RNA-interference therapeutics company Nucleonics has announced that IP Australia has granted the Medical College of Georgia Research Institute (MCGRI) two patents covering an RNAi gene-silencing technique. Nucleonics is a licensee to both patents. [ + ]

The University of Surrey’s expertise in nanotechnology research is a key contributor to an exhibition entitled ‘Nanotechnology: small science‚ big deal’, showing at the Science Museum in London.

As a new self-designated "shaker" of the Australian biotechnology sector, Polish-born medico and property investor Richard Opara is almost rueful about the two board spills he is orchestrating at Australian Cancer Technologies (ASX:ACU) and Polartechnics (ASX:PLT). But he is adamant that there is "no substance" to the speculation that the companies will merge. [ + ]