Researchers believe they have solved a serious problem faced by the medical community with the most important antibiotics in general use today, the b-lactam family of products: the increasing development of drug resistance.

UK biomedical research charity the Wellcome Trust has joined the governments of Australia and New Zealand to launch a series of health initiatives that could help save the lives of millions of people in the Asia-Pacific region.

Virax's share price (ASX:VHL) soared 28 per cent today on heavy trading after the company released good results for its HIV immunotherapy Phase IIa clinical trial. [ + ]

Adelaide-based biotech GroPep is to receive AUD$3.8 million from the Gates Foundation-funded Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), after meeting the first milestone in a project inherited from Biotech Australia. [ + ]

Ocean forecasting information will soon be available to serve Australians in the same way atmospheric weather forecasting has delivered for on-land populations, following the recent announcement of a $15 million Australian Government initiative.

Dr Peter Smith, a British-born former biotech analyst and company founder, has been named as the new CEO of Melbourne firm Amrad (ASX:AML) at its annual general meeting today. [ + ]

Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) has formed a strategic alliance with the Perth-based CY O'Connor ERADE Village Foundation that is intended to strengthen GTG's already formidable -- and controversial -- grip on gene testing using non-coding DNA sequences. [ + ]

Industry association AusBiotech is moving to cement its role as an advocate for Australia's biotechnology industry, with the appointment of former SDA Biotech principal Paris Brooke to a newly created role in policy and communications. [ + ]

Drug reengineering company Eiffel Technologies has recruited former PowderJect technologies manager Dr Pascal Hickey as chief operating officer. [ + ]

In a drastic move to raise more funds for medical research, Monash University has sold off 6 million of its shares in promising Victorian biotech Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MBP). [ + ]

Australia risks being left out in the cold if it doesn't participate in efforts to sequence the marsupial genome, say leading genomics scientists who are trying to raise AUD$5 million in support of Australian participation. [ + ]

Adelaide biotech Bionomics (ASX:BNM, US OTC:BMICV)) has filed a provisional patent application on a DNA diagnostic test for a benign form of epilepsy that causes seizures in early childhood. [ + ]

Scientist at a British company have discovered a way of making the glass plates used in laboratories 200 times more effective.

Sydney's Australian Technology Park biotech hub has grown to nine companies with two new businesses recently joining the BioFirst precinct. [ + ]

Medical device company Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) today announced it had secured commitments to raise $5 million to assist in international marketing of its three core products. [ + ]