Sydney anti-viral drug developer Narhex Life Sciences has one of the world's most promising drugs for HIV/AIDS. Could it also have, in the same drug, a potential treatment for Hepatitis B? [ + ]

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) has received a US$1m signing-on payment, the first in a number of milestone payments due under its US$8m licence agreement with Akzo Nobel's Nobilon. [ + ]

Despite a boom in IPO activity, retail and institutional investors left biotechnology stocks on the shelf in 2004, two sector indices have revealed. The Southern Cross Equities Australian Biotechnology Index declined 5 per cent in 2004, and the 80-company Intersuisse Biotechnology index - bolstered by some larger stocks including Cochlear (ASX:COH) and Resmed (ASX:RMD) -- edged forward only 0.16 per cent over the year. [ + ]

Singapore's Rockeby biomed (ASX:RBY) is a step closer to gaining US marketing approval for its candiadiasis diagnostics, Syscan3 and Candia5, having released results of its US 510(k) study which confirmed that both tests are effective as diagnostic aids when used in conjunction with microscopy and microbiological culture. [ + ]

Australian expertise is a crucial part of an international project aiming to develop therapies against two deadly viruses.

Shares in Peplin Biotech (ASX:PEP) jumped today when the company announced that full analysis of the data from its Phase I safety and tolerability trial had provided "hugely exciting" results: in 40 per cent of cases, a single application of its PEP005 topical gel for pre-cancerous skin 'sunspots' completely or substantially cleared the volunteers' actinic keratoses (AK), compared with 15 per cent for placebo patients. [ + ]

The US government has announced that Medicare will test the idea of paying for antiviral drugs -- including Biota and GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza -- for some patients who catch influenza. [ + ]

ANU researchers have overturned 20 years of thinking about the powerplant which enables photosynthesis to occur, sending biologists, chemists and physicists back to the drawing board.

Beckman Coulter has announced it has entered into the strategic partnership agreement with PointCare Technologies, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Beckman Coulter has exclusive global sales and marketing responsibilities for the new PointCare system, small enough for use at the point of care for monitoring drug therapy in HIV/AIDS patients. PointCare Technologies will retain the research and development role.

GE Healthcare, a combination of the former Amersham and GE Medical Systems, has announced that Bristol-Myers Squibb and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc have each signed licensing agreements for rights to Aequorea Victoria Green Fluorescent Protein (AvGFP), a versatile, widely used and validated fluorescent protein. GE Healthcare has the rights to offer comprehensive licensing for the intellectual property necessary to make the best use of this GFP technology.

Heraeus Noblelight has taken over Cathodeon. Through this acquisition, Heraeus Noblelight strengthens its 'Lamps for Optics and Analytics' division and complements the Laser lamp technologies of its UK subsidiary Heraeus Noblelight.

Metabolic (ASX:MBP) today did its best to salvage its reputation and share price, hitting back at analyst criticism of its Phase II clinical trial results of its obesity drug AOD9604. [ + ]

Confirming its ambitions to move into drug development, Sydney-based Proteome Systems (ASX:PXL) has signed a contract to acquire US antioxidant drug-developer Eukarion. The acquisition involves a cash payment of up to AUD$150,000 in up-front consideration, and an an initial equity issue by Proteome Systems of approximately 1.7 million shares. [ + ]

US artificial heart firm Heartware will today lodge its prospectus with ASIC, for an ASX-listing schedule to take place in late January, despite rumours of a possible patent battle with Australian artificial heart firm Ventracor (ASX:VCR). [ + ]

South Australian biotech Bionomics (ASX:BNO) is to pay more than AUD$2 million in cash and kind for Neurofit, a small contract research company that specialises in testing candidate drugs for central nervous system (CNS) disorders in cellular and animals models. [ + ]