In brief: Biota, Cytopia, Pharmaxis, Ventracor, Vision Systems, Replikun

Andrew Macdonald has resigned as chief financial officer at Melbourne-based Biota Holdings (ASX:BTA) and is taking up the CFO position at fellow biotech Cytopia (ASX:CYT). Cytopia is relocating its corporate HQ from Brisbane to Melbourne. Macdonald has given three months' notice at Biota.

Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) has closed patient recruitment on its Phase II clinical trial of Bronchitol in patients with cystic fibrosis early, following an interim assessment of blinded data from the trial which revealed better than expected variance in the data. Thirty patients have been enrolled in the trial, which is designed to compare the effects of inhaled Bronchitol with a placebo. The Bronchitol/placebo comparison will be made after the trial is unblinded, which is expected to be in July.

Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has announced that three more patients have now been implanted with its VentrAssist heart assist device, bringing the number of patients implanted as part of its CE Mark trial to 11. Two of the implants were conducted at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and one at Royal Perth Howpital in WA. The CE Mark trial is underway at six centres in Australia and the UK and will enroll up to 30 bridge-to-transplant patients suffering congestive heart failure.

Vision BioSystems, a subsidiary of Vision Systems (ASX:VSL) has commenced production of a new DNA/RNA extraction instrument for a European biomedical company, in collaboration with sister firm Invetech.

Unlisted Brisbane biotech Replikun has received a Notice of Allowance from the US Patent Office for the patent application 'Flavivirus Expression and Delivery System'. The patent covers Replikun's non-replicating gene delivery system and methods of delivery.