Instrumentation and software developer Axon Instruments has signed an exclusive deal with the US maker of an electrode device that can be used to scan potential drugs for use in heart disease, chronic pain, diabetes, high blood pressure and migraine. [ + ]

Instrumentation company Waters Australia will be assisting Canberra-based Biotron in its CT-1 cancer biomarker project, according to details of a new collaboration. [ + ]

Efforts to pursue North American business opportunities for Victorian biotechs have been redoubled with the opening today of a dedicated office in San Francisco. [ + ]

Australian technology enabling the collection of intracellular fluid for analyte measurement without the use of a needle has gained a United States patent. [ + ]

Victorian biosciences commercialisation group Biocomm has launched an $11.5 million capital pool to help take the state's research to the market. [ + ]

Icelandic company deCODE Genetics has updated the map of the human genome, estimated to give about five-fold greater resolution than the current draft. [ + ]

Former head of business development at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Dr Amanda Caples has been appointed Victorian Biotechnology Director. [ + ]

More than 30 staff at the former Biotech Australia (BA) will lose their jobs in the operational restructure planned by Adelaide growth factor company GroPep. [ + ]

Australians are being asked to comment on the future for research spending as part of a community consultation initiative.

Garvan Institute neurobiologist Dr Bryce Vissel is one of the first recipients of the NSW government's inaugural BioFirst Awards. [ + ]

A pre-intercourse gel derived from a protein found in sperm could prove the key to fertility for thousands of childless couples. [ + ]

Artificial heart developer MicroMedical Industries has announced it plans to change its name to Ventracor. [ + ]

A two-pronged business strategy is showing promise for Australia's leading player in molecular farming, Farmacule Bioindustries. [ + ]

Meditech Research has announced that its pre-clinical animal studies for anti-cancer drug HyDOX showed a three-fold reduction of heart damage. [ + ]

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Institute of Drug Technology may pursue direct talks with the UK developer of an early-stage anti-cancer drug after licensee AstraZeneca dumped the project. [ + ]