Sydney pharmaceutical company Novogen (ASX: NRT, NASDAQ: NVGN) has been granted a US patent covering all applications of its promising anti-cancer therapeutic phenoxodiol for benign and malignant cancers, including ovarian, breast, prostate and cervical cancers. [ + ]

Two studies published recently in leading medical research journals have given ticks to the SimpliRED and Simplify blood-clot diagnostics developed by Brisbane biotech Agenix (ASX: AGX, NASDAQ: AGXLY) [ + ]

Sydney-based Brain Resource Company (ASX: BRC) has completed an AUD$4 million placement to institutional investors, giving it the funding to back a marketing push for its brain imaging and functional testing products and services. [ + ]

The market responded favourably today to news that Peptech has reached an in principle agreement with Abbott to resolve its dispute over royalties for Abbott's anti-TNF alpha arthritis drug HUMIRA. [ + ]

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the government would provide £10 million (AUD$16.9 million) to study ways to get more experimental medicines to patients through better and faster clinical trials. [ + ]

Genesis Biomedical (ASX: GBL) has signed a Heads of Agreement with ENSI-MED Manufacturing to acquire 100 per cent of the issued capital of the Canberra-based retractable syringe manufacturer. [ + ]

Australia's oldest medical research institution, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, has made a major move into the biotechnology arena with the opening of its AUD$27.5 million Biotechnology Centre. [ + ]

Melbourne company Genetic Technologies Ltd (ASX: GTG) has settled two of three lawsuits brought against US biotechnology companies for alleged infringements of its non-coding DNA gene-testing patents. [ + ]

Perth-based biotechnology company EQiTX and the CRC for Vaccine Technologies have negotiated an agreement for EQiTX to develop and commercialise the CRC's proprietary lipopeptide vaccine technology platform. [ + ]

Molecular geneticists at Melbourne University's Institute of Land and Food Resources plan to use RNA interference gene silencing to remove a potent neurotoxin from the manure and feed crop, vetch (Vicia sativa). [ + ]

Shareholders at Ventracor's annual general meeting in Brisbane yesterday raised not a jot of concern about the board's surprise decision this week to replace CEO Michael Spooner with former Sirtex chief Colin Sutton. [ + ]

Sydney-based devices company Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) has signed a heads of agreement with US company Open Systems Imaging (OSI) to market and sell its melanoma detection and monitoring system SolarScan in the US. [ + ]

Newly-listed company Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) has appointed ex-Novartis Australia CEO Gary Phillips as commercial director to look after sales and marketing efforts as the company prepares to complete clinical trials and roll out its first product. [ + ]

Australian Cancer Technology (ASX:ACU) has partnered with Prof Ursula Kees at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research to develop a diagnostic test able to rapidly screen tumour samples for deleted tumour suppressor genes. [ + ]

Melbourne clinical trials group Cancer Trials Australia (CTA) opened a new state-of-the-art laboratory on Wednesday, to complement other clinical trials services offered by the group. [ + ]