The CSIRO -- formerly the largest shareholder in Adelaide-based biopharma GroPep (ASX:GRO) -- last week halved its shareholding in the company, selling 5 million shares valued at just under $3.5 million. [ + ]

Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) has sealed its broad strategic alliance with Perth-based biotech research agency, the CY O'Connor ERADE Village Foundation (CYO), foreshadowed in October last year. [ + ]

One of the most familiar faces and names in New Zealand's biotechnology industry, Genesis Research & Development Corp CEO Dr Jim Watson, is retiring -- but only as far as the research bench. [ + ]

As the prospect of 'genetic passports' and DIY genetics tests grows more imminent, regulators need to get up to speed with scientific developments, this year's Australian Society for Medical Research medallist, Prof Mary Hendrix, has warned. [ + ]

Perth-based tissue engineering company Clinical Cell Culture (C3, ASX:CCE) has signed Rome-based Health Defence to distribute its CellSpray and ReCell products in Italy. [ + ]

Recently-listed XCeed Biotechnology (ASX:XBL) has announced that its subsidiary Polymerco will use Melbourne-based AorTech to manufacture its biodegradeable polyurethane. The product has applications in orthapaedics, wound repair, drug delivery and stents. [ + ]

Queensland premier Peter Beattie has used the BIO 2004 conference in San Francisco as a platform to announce more than AUD$45 million of funding for clinical and medical research, clinical trials, smart foods and research facilities in the state. [ + ]

The NIH's National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has confirmed that it will provide funding to Australia's tammar wallaby sequencing project to allow at least 2X sequence coverage to be obtained. [ + ]

Brisbane diagnostics company Panbio (ASX:PBO) and La Trobe University have received a $117,000 development grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council to develop a simple, rapid, point-of-care diagnostic for malaria. [ + ]

Biota Holdings (ASX:BTA) has filed a statement of claim in the Victorian Supreme Court, moving its litigation against GlaxoSmithKline forward a step. [ + ]

Clinical results from AGT Bioscience's merger partner ChemGenex Therapeutics' Phase I/II trial of cancer drug Quinamed, released yesterday at ASCO in New Orleans and BIO in San Francisco, have shown promising anti-cancer activity, the company has claimed. [ + ]

Sydney-based Peptech (ASX:PTD) and Brisbane-based Agenix (ASX:AGX) have called off their merger, citing Peptech's inability to provide Agenix with details of possible royalties due from Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Centocor. [ + ]

The Singapore and Australian biotechnology industries have synergies that should be exploited, the director of the Singapore Economic Development Board, Dr Swan-Gin Beh, has told a session at the BIO 2004 conference in San Francisco this week. [ + ]

It's too early to announce a new dawn, but there's a distinct glow on one of neuroscience's darkest horizons. The enigma of the paralysing central nervous system disorder, multiple sclerosis, may be nearing solution. [ + ]

Italian researchers have transplanted insulin-secreting pancreatic islet cells into a 37-year old man with type 1 diabetes, in the first of a 10-patient pilot trial of a potentially revolutionary treatment for diabetes developed by Australian biomedical company Living Cell Technologies (NSX:LCT). [ + ]