In brief: BresaGen, Sirtex, AustCancer, Prima, Optiscan

Bresagen (ASX:BGN) has ended its annus horribilus -- having spent much of the year in voluntary administration -- with the reinstatement of its securities to official quotation today.

The company has secured a AUD$3.4 million convertible note facility, and also raised US$5 million through venture capital investors, as part of a merger with San Diego stem cell company Cythera. Shareholders have also approved Queensland biotech CBio's acquisition of a 51 per cent interest in Bresagen. Ferrier Hodgson administrators said creditors would be paid 100 cents in the dollar.

Sirtex (ASX:SRX) has commenced its campaign to convince European and Australian governments to reimburse patients treated with its SIR-Sphere liver cancer treatment, announcing a randomised clinical trial which will compare the response of patients to SIR-Spheres in conjunction with last-resort chemotherapy to last-resort chemotherapy alone. The trials will be undertaken at the UZ Gasthuisberg and the Jules Bordet Institute in Belgium. SIR-Spheres are already fully reimbursed in the US.

Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) shareholders have approved a AUD$16.5 million share placement to institutions and sophisticated investors at $0.75 cents per share. Shareholders also put their hands up for $3.27 million as part of a share purchase plan at the same price. The average investment was more than $4400. The funds will be used for the international Phase III clinical trial of the company's bronchiectasis treatment, Bronchitol.

Australian Cancer Technology (ASX:ACU) has commenced a Phase II clinical study of anti-viral drug RP101 for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. "RP101 is intended as a co-treatment with cytostatic drugs to overcome the induction of chemoresistance, thereby expanding the therapeutic window and possibly extending survival while also improving the quality of life for pancreatic cancer patients," said AustCancer managing director Paul Hopper in a statement.

Trading in shares of both Prima Biomed (ASX:PRR) and Optiscan Imaging (ASX:OIL) has been halted at the companies' request, pending the release of announcements.