Paul Hopper has resigned as CEO and managing director of Australian Cancer Technologies (ASX:ACU). [ + ]

The US National Institutes of Health annual budget is expected to increase at a much slower annual rate next year, after several years of "substantial" growth, according to a senior executive. [ + ]

CSIRO has shuffled divisions to create new business units in a bid to maximise its research capabilities, the organisation announced today. [ + ]

The first sequence data from the wallaby genome project has revealed 68 per cent similarity between the human and wallaby genes encoding NADH dehydrogenase, an essential protein in the cell's energy powerhouses, the mitochondria. [ + ]

Fewer biotechnology companies are being formed in Australia, but the companies that are being formed are more robust than their predecessors, consultancy Innovation Dynamics has found as part of its annual pulse-taking of the local biotechnology sector. [ + ]

The US Food and Drug Administration has granted 'orphan drug' status to Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) for its Bronchitol product, for treatment of bronchiectasis. Orphan status entitles Pharmaxis to seven years of market exclusivity for Bronchitol, which is currently in clinical trials. [ + ]

Technology investment company ATP Innovations has taken equity in Sydney University spin-off Elastagen, investing AUD$250,000 to support commercialisation of the company's recombinant tissue-engineering protein tropoelastin. [ + ]

Living Cell Technologies (ASX:LCT) has announced preliminary animal results after 12 weeks of a six-month study evaluating the safety and tolerability of its pig islet cell product, Diabcell. [ + ]

Cancer therapeutics company Australian Cancer Technology (ASX:ACU) announced today its GPI-0100 vaccine adjuvant has produced an enhanced immune response in its Phase I clinical trial in men with relapsed prostate cancer. [ + ]

Two Australian biotech companies lodged IPO prospectuses with ASIC this week, both looking to list in the next couple of months. [ + ]

Brisbane's Agenix is not yet out of the red, announcing a net operating loss of AUD$5.2million, up from $2.1 million in the corresponding period last year. [ + ]

Medical diagnostics company Ambri (ASX:ABI) has announced plans to halve its workforce and is on the hunt for new medical diagnostic products to shore up its product pipeline after the suspension last year of its SensiDX project. [ + ]

Australian gene therapy company Benitec (ASX:BLT) is taking its novel AIDS therapy into a Phase I clinical trial in volunteers with AIDS-related lymphoma at the City of Hope Hospital in Duarte, California. [ + ]

Chemgenex Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CXS) will receive a AUD$720,000 milestone payment from its partner Vernalis for progress made on its depression and anxiety target discovery program. [ + ]

Melbourne-based Cryptome (ASX:CRP) has joined the ranks of Australian biotech companies sourcing potential products from overseas, with the acquisition of an option for an exclusive licence over a novel class of protein-derived anti-inflammatory compounds from the University of Virginia. [ + ]