Melbourne-based Eqitx (ASX:EQX) has invested a further AUD$500,000 in equity in VacTX, making its total investment in the vaccine developer $2.3 million to date. [ + ]

AtCor Medical (ASX:ACG), the developer and marketer of SphygmoCor, a system to measure central cardiovascular function non-invasively, today announced sales of $1.73 million for the six months to 31 December 2005, up 40 per cent compared to the previous corresponding period [ + ]

Zenyth Therapeutics (ASX:ZTL), formerly Amrad, has taken a licence from Massachusetts-based Dyax Corp, to use the US company's proprietary phage display libraries to develop antibody therapeutics for inflammation and cancer. [ + ]

The Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) has discovered a link between the HLS5 gene and key aspects of Huntington’s disease and AIDS development, according to an announcement made by BioPharmica.

Eppendorf South Pacific has relocated its facilities to larger offices in North Ryde to support the company's continuing growth. The new address for Eppendorf South Pacific is Unit 4, 112 Talavera Road, North Ryde 2113. Ph: (02) 9889 5000 and fax: (02) 9889 5111 remain unchanged.

Brisbane biotech Tissue Therapies (ASX:TIS) will repeat an animal trial designed to gather data to optimise its wound treatment VitroGro for human clinical trials following independent review of the results. [ + ]

The Russian Ministry of Health has recommended the approval of Melbourne-based Solagran's (ASX:SLA) Ropren, the finished form of Bioeffective R, as a treatment for chronic liver disease. [ + ]

Norwood Abbey (ASX:NAL) has initiated animal studies for the use of its needle-free injection device for delivering virosomes, potent carriers of antigens for vaccination. [ + ]

PharmAust's (ASX:PAA) subsidiary Mimotopes and US-based Genzyme Corporation have signed a strategic alliance agreement to provide a total suite of peptide products and services to both companies' customer bases. [ + ]

Adelaide biotechnology manufacturer BresaGen (ASX:BGN) has executed supply contracts worth AUD$680,000 with WA based junior biotech Caldeon and Brisbane's Tissue Therapies (ASX:TIS). [ + ]

Collaboration between the University of Newcastle and Ludowici MPE, which led to the development of a new separation technology, has won a national award for Best Research and Development.

Prof Ian Frazer, inventor of the world's first cancer vaccine, Gardasil, has been named Australian of the Year. [ + ]

PolyNovo Biomaterials, jointly owned by CSIRO and Xceed Biotechnology (ASX:XBL) has signed a partnering and licensing agreement potentially worth more than AUD$11 million with giant US-based device maker Medtronic. [ + ]

Melbourne-based Epitan (ASX:EPT) is planning to change its name to Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals. [ + ]

John Chiplin, the new CEO of Sydney biopharma Peptech (ASX:PTD), sees strong similarities between the state of Australia's biotechnology industry and California's nascent biotechnology industry in San Diego in the mid-1980s. [ + ]