Biosensor Enterprises (BEL) will no longer work to develop Sydney-based Ambri's (ASX:ABI) ion-channel switch (ICS), and will instead focus on out-licensing the technology. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

Generic medicines company Genepharm Australasia's (ASX:GAA) brand of Simvastatin has been listed in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, the final stage of TGA approval and registration process for its cholesterol-reducing drug. [ + ]

Prima Biomed's (ASX:PRR) results from a phase I clinical trial of its CancerVac MFP technology for advanced adenocarcinoma have been accepted and published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. [ + ]

Invitrogen and genOway have signed a co-marketing agreement around RNAi related services. Under the terms of the agreement, Invitrogen and genOway will combine Invitrogen's expertise in RNAi research technologies with genOway's portfolio of transgenesis technologies and RNAi in vivo experience to create a services platform offering RNAi vector design through the creation of RNAi transgenic rodent models.

Western Australia's new premier, Alan Carpenter, has created a portfolio for science and innovation. [ + ]

Chemeq (ASX:CMQ) has upped the production capability of its Rockingham manufacturing facility, announcing today that it can now produce as much as 280,000 litres of the company's polymeric antimicrobial each year. [ + ]

The US FDA has given the all-clear for Auckland biopharma Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX:NEU) to move straight into a phase III major efficacy trial for lead molecule Glypromate. [ + ]

Stem Cell Sciences (AIM:STEM, SCS) has signed a new tech transfer agreement with the University of Edinburgh, building on a formal collaboration begun in 1994. [ + ]

CSIRO's biotechnology and life science programs will be strengthened, the organisation claimed yesterday in the launch of its research policies for 2006/07 and beyond. [ + ]

Norwood Abbey's (ASX:NAL) Norwood Eyecare division is to partner with the University of Crete, in Greece, on R&D in the field of Epi-LASIK refractive surgery and related innovations. [ + ]

Livestock vaccine developer Imugene's (ASX:IMU) chicken immune-system booster has crossed a major intersection on the road to market by receiving approval from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to trial its genetically modified product outside full laboratory containment. [ + ]

Metabolic Pharmaceuticals' (ASX:MBP) obesity drug AOD9604 could potentially have a new indication for use in osteoporosis, the company has claimed. [ + ]

Monash University scientists have discovered how a single protein could dramatically improve the body's ability to fight viruses such as the flu.

Ross Dobinson has been appointed as Acrux's (ASX:ACR) non-executive chairman, replacing Nuno D'Aquino who is stepping down due to private commitments. D'Aquino will continue as a non-executive director and will chair the board's Human Capital Committee. [ + ]