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. [ + ]

Sydney-based biopharma Apollo Life Sciences (ASX:AOP) said no significant adverse side-effects were detected in a phase Ib trial of its topical psoriasis cream, developed from human-expressed protein. [ + ]

Natural pesticide developer BioProspect (ASX:BPO) has raised AUD$1.2 million from its fully underwritten rights offer, where shareholders could subscribe for one new share, at a price of $0.02, and a free attaching option for every three shares held. [ + ]

A clinical trial conducted by Sydney medical device company CathRx (ASX:CXD) has shown that its catheters can appropriately diagnose arrythmias when measuring electrical signals generated by the heart. [ + ]

Melbourne's Phosphagenics (ASX:POH, AIM:PSG) will commence animal studies later this month on its patented anti-cancer compound. [ + ]

Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MBP) CEO Dr Roland Scollay is feeling no pain as his Melbourne-based biopharmaceutical company heads into a potentially momentous year in the clinic for its two lead compounds, the anti-obesity drug AOD9604 and chronic neuropathic pain lead ACV1. [ + ]

Education and Training Minister Lynne Kosky visited the Box Hill Institute to launch BioSkills, the Specialist Centre in Biotechnology Training.

Singapore-based, ASX-listed cell therapy company CyGenics (ASX:CYN) is the majority shareholder in a new Indian cord blood banking company, to be called CordLife Sciences (India), after an initial investment of AUD$850,000. [ + ]

Paul Trainor AO, 78, 'father of Australia's medical device industry' died on January 13, 2006. [ + ]

Melbourne immunotherapy developer Virax Holdings (ASX:VHL) has raised $3.1 million through a rights issue for the further development of its HIV therapeutic vaccine, falling $700,000 short of the $3.8 million the company planned to raise. [ + ]

Following the successful placement of more than AUD$3 million worth of shares in the US earlier this month, cell therapy company Living Cell Technologies (ASX:LCT) has revealed plans to raise at least a further AUD$8 million through a second tranche of shares in the US and Europe. [ + ]

A research team at Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital has developed and patented a technique for growing human embryonic stem (ES) cells without using animal-derived feeder cells. [ + ]

Federal and state MPs are to get an insight into Australian genetic and genomic research capabilities and opportunities, at a national forum to be held in Canberra in February. [ + ]