In brief: Narhex, Norwood Abbey, Anadis, Phylogica

Narhex Life Sciences (ASX:NLS) has signed a manufacturing contract with Indian, Nasdaq-listed company Dr Reddy's for initial GMP-grade production of the prodrug of Narhex's candidate HIV protease inhibitor, DG35.

Norwood Abbey (ASX:NAL) has begun animal studies for the application of its needle-free injection device for the delivery of a drug to treat arthritis at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The MIT studies will also extend to a range of other applications involving delivery of drugs into joints.

Anadis (ASX:ANX) is to chase opportunities in the international market of high-profile sporting organisations, including athletes preparing for competition in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, following the successful analysis that its over-the-counter travellers' diarrhoea product Travelan does not contain any prohibited substances.

Phylogica (ASX:PYC) has secured a European patent for a new high-level drug-screening technique for isolating Phylomer and other drug candidates that block protein interactions involved in disease. Phylogica is developing drugs based on phylomers -- short-chain, bioactive peptides derived from the highly specialised proteins of extremophile microbes.