Early-stage biopharma Helmedix has received $1.25m of start-up funding from the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund to develop therapies targeting autoimmune diseases. [ + ]

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) and a US army institute will collaborate on research into using antimicrobial BDM-I as a countermeasure for biological weapons including anthrax. [ + ]

Sirtex (ASX:SRX) has seen sales of SIRSpheres increase by 30.5% and net profit increase by 27.6% to $7.8 million in its half-year results. [ + ]

The market has reacted positively to news that CSL (ASX:CSL) saw a 24% increase in net profit to US$627 million in 1H13 and has completed the restructure of its Australian operations. [ + ]

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation has announced that Sigma Life Science, its innovative biological products and services business, has signed an agreement to distribute worldwide Olink Bioscience’s Duolink In Situ products, which present a disruptive method for imaging and measuring protein-protein interactions in unmodified cells. [ + ]

Optibrium and Lhasa, providers of software for compound design, selection and property prediction, have announced a technology collaboration agreement. [ + ]

Allied Healthcare (ASX:AHZ) has received ISO 13485 certification for regenerative therapy CardioCel, bringing it a step closer to European CE Mark approval. [ + ]

More than 150 leading Australian and international researchers will converge on Wollongong this week to speak about and share insights into groundbreaking materials research as part of the 8th Annual International Electromaterials Science Symposium. [ + ]

Researchers at the University of Canterbury are working on new forms of tumour detection in the hope of reducing the annual cancer toll. [ + ]

Sir Walter Murdoch Adjunct Professor Thomas Gilbert is part of an international team that has helped decode the genetic blueprint of the common pigeon (Rock Pigeon/Feral Pigeon) in a breakthrough that sheds light into the minute building blocks of evolution. [ + ]

Phosphagenics (ASX:POH) has solved the crystallisation problems with its oxycodone patch and is aiming to re-enter the clinic by the end of this quarter. [ + ]

In a letter to shareholders, Bioniche’s (ASX:BNC) CEO has laid out some plans for the future of bladder cancer treatment Urocidin following its split with former commercialisation partner Endo Pharmaceuticals. [ + ]

Cellmid (ASX:CDY) has secured an option agreement with Japan’s Fujikura covering its midkine cancer diagnostics technology in latex-based tests. [ + ]

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) and the QIMR are moving to proof-of-concept testing of BioDiem’s antimicrobial in the parasitic worms that cause the major tropical disease schistosomiasis. [ + ]

Kählig Antriebstechnik GmbH has appointed maxon motor Australia Pty Ltd as its distributor for Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]