A Bill dealing with the use of gene technologies and their products in the ACT has been tabled in the Legislative Assembly. The Gene Technology Bill 2000, was tabled by Chief Minister Jon Stanhope.

Fresh from inking pacts with two drug development companies, marine toxin specialist Xenome Ltd is on the verge of finalising many more similar deals, says CEO Tony Evans. [ + ]

Biopharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor Vita Life Sciences (ASX:VLS) posted a full-year revenue drop today because of a reduced sales forecast in its key Asian markets. [ + ]

A British company offering personalised DNA tests for diet and lifestyle genes may begin marketing the product in Australia by the end of the year, but Australian geneticists were sceptical about its efficacy. [ + ]

Artificial heart company MicroMedical Industries raised almost $11 million in just over 24 hours through a share placement directed at new investors. [ + ]

A handbook to help clarify the decision-making process of research ethics committees was today launched by the Federal Health and Ageing Minister. [ + ]

A new group within industry association AusBiotech is about to host its first networking event. [ + ]

Sydney company Sirtex Medical's novel liver cancer treatment has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), opening the door to what the company says is a billion dollar market. [ + ]

Melbourne company Stem Cell Sciences has secured the worldwide rights to use technology for therapeutic cloning developed at the Monash Institute for Reproduction and Development and the Centre for Animal Biotechnology at the University of Melbourne. [ + ]

World-renowned microbiologist Prof Frank Fenner was last night (March 7) honoured with a prestigious lifetime contribution award from the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation. [ + ]

Harsh tax treatment of research institute scientists trying to commercialise their inventions is harming Australia's national interests, bio-industry leaders warn. [ + ]

Australian scientists and scientific organisations are lobbying the Federal government in an effort to persuade them to continue to allow stem cell research using spare IVF embryos. [ + ]

Victoria's new health privacy legislation would substantially impact upon the local biotechnology industry, a leading lawyer has predicted. [ + ]

Genetics and immunology specialist Dr Malcolm Brandon was today named chairman of Prima Biomed's (ASX:PRR) scientific advisory panel. [ + ]

At a time when the precise detection of GMOs in food products has been an issue for the Federal government's analytical laboratories, Sydney company BTF Decisive Microbiology has launched bioparticle dispensing technology that it claimed would provide precision in quantitative DNA analysis. [ + ]