Bionomics (ASX:BNO) will cease collaborating with Merck Serono to develop autoimmune disorder treatments, and seek alternate partners for its Kv1.3 program. [ + ]

The research exemption in the new Raising the Bar bill allows experimentation on patented processes, but the line between what is permitted and what is infringing a patent is not yet fully clear. [ + ]

The Pharmaceuticals Industry Council (PIC), with members AusBiotech, Medicines Australia and the GMiA, has reported to the Federal Government on the preferred treatment of follow-on biologics for reimbursement. [ + ]

ResMed (ASX:RMD) has brought Narval CC, an alternative treatment to PAP therapy for snoring and sleep apnoea, to the US market. [ + ]

Dr Rowan Gilmore, CEO of the Australian Institute for Commercialisation, wonders whether Australian government and business are truly hungry enough to drive innovation in this country. [ + ]

An effective new weapon in the fight against the spread of cane toads has been developed by the University of Sydney, in collaboration with the University of Queensland. [ + ]

CSL's (ASX:CSL) plasma protein unit, CSL Behring, has received US FDA orphan drug designation for a haemophilia-B treatment, rIX-FP. [ + ]

The Monash Institute of Phermaceutical Sciences has received a $4.48 million grant from the US National Institutes of Health to develop new antibiotics to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. [ + ]

Current screening strategies for Down syndrome, caused by foetal trisomy 21 (T21), and Edwards syndrome, caused by foetal trisomy 18 (T18), have false positive rates of 2 to 3%, and false negative rates of 5% or higher. Now an international, multicentre cohort study finds that a genetic test to screen for trisomy 21 or 18 from a maternal blood sample is almost 100% accurate. [ + ]

A major development has begun in the molecular biology and biotechnology industry, with the discovery of the ‘Proteomic Code’ and ‘Nucleic Acid Chaperons’. A US patent has recently been granted for biotechnological application of the Proteomic Code for design and ‘to Obtain Oligo-peptides Oligo-peptides with High Affinity to Query Proteins’. [ + ]

Australians will be able to take part in hands-on local science activities thanks to a $5 million grant from the Gillard government for Inspiring Australia projects across the country. [ + ]

BioTek has announced receipt of European Patent EP 2 093 572 B1, covering the ultrasonic cleaning and maintenance feature used in the company’s microplate washers. Known as Ultrasonic Advantage, this cleaning technology is incorporated into most of BioTek’s microplate washers. [ + ]

Universal Biosensors (ASX:UBI) has achieved the first of six milestones under its coagulation testing collaboration with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. [ + ]

ImpediMed Limited (ASX:IPD) has been recognised for making “the biggest difference on an individual while addressing the greatest medical need” for its bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology. [ + ]

Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) has officially launched its Bronchitol spray in the UK and Germany, and presented more trial data showing its efficacy. [ + ]