Phosphagenics (ASX:POH) has received ethics approval for a clinical trial of the redesigned version of pain patch TPM-oxycodone. [ + ]

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are developing a medical instrument that will be able to quickly detect a suite of biothreat agents, including anthrax, ricin, botulinum, shiga and SEB toxin. The device - once developed, approved by the Food and Drug Administration and commercialised - would most likely be used in emergency rooms in the event of a bioterrorism incident. [ + ]

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), the most powerful and sensitive particle physics spectrometer ever deployed in space, has had its first results published. [ + ]

Novogen (ASX:NRT) shares surged on Wednesday after the company revealed lab results showing that its CS-6 candidate was highly cytotoxic to nigh-invulnerable ovarian cancer stem cell lines. [ + ]

Bioniche (ASX:BNC) will receive up to C$500,000 in funding from Canada’s NRC to support the development of a new generation of its E. coli O157 cattle vaccine. [ + ]

Professor Ian Chubb has used his considerable reach as Australia’s Chief Scientist to speak up for the importance of science on our future prosperity and wellbeing. [ + ]

Osmosis - the flow of a solvent across a semi-permeable membrane from a region of lower to higher solute concentration - is a well-developed concept in physics and biophysics. The problem is that, even though the concept is important to plant and human physiology, osmosis is understood in biology and chemistry in a much simpler - and often incorrect - way. [ + ]

For middle-aged patients with presbyopia, wearing OK contact lenses overnight can restore up-close vision in one eye, according to the study by Paul Gifford, PhD, FAAO, and Helen A Swarbrick, PhD, FAAO, of University of New South Wales. [ + ]

The University of Wollongong (UOW) has licensed the commercialisation rights to a novel drug formulation for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) to a local biotech company - FivePhusion. [ + ]

AusBiotech welcomes the federal government’s Plan for Australian Jobs, which will aid innovative companies and help support the biotechnology sector. [ + ]

In a world first, a donated human liver has been ‘kept alive’ outside a human being and then successfully transplanted into a patient in need of a new liver. The procedure has been performed on two patients on the liver transplant waiting list and both are making excellent recoveries. [ + ]

pSivida (ASX:PVA) has said partner Alimera plans to resubmit Iluvien for US approval in March and that it will receive a $23.9 million milestone payment if the NDA is accepted. [ + ]

Viralytics (ASX:VLA) CEO Dr Malcolm McColl has called the news that Amgen met its goal with an oncolytic virus trial a “milestone event for the field.” [ + ]

The Business Development Workshop and Forum has kicked off in Adelaide, with delegates keen to understand the changing landscape of licensing deal collaborations and what it means for business development in biotechnology companies. [ + ]

Preliminary results of a phase Ib/IIa trial of Biotron’s BIT225 treatment candidate show it can target HIV in cells which mature into ongoing reservoirs for the virus. [ + ]