RNAi specialist Benitec (ASX:BLT) and Wisconsin-based Promega have settled their contract dispute which began last year. [ + ]

Astop Biohealth, an unlisted natural medicines company established in 2001 and chaired by Perth entrepreneur Kevin Parry, is planning to list on the ASX before the end of the year. [ + ]

Artificial heart company Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has implanted its second VentrAssist left ventricular assist system (LVAS) in the United States. [ + ]

The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) is convening a two-day workshop in Auckland 10 to 11 November 2005: Measuring the impact of the investment in health research.

Brisbane biopharma Alchemia's (ASX:ACL) financial results for the year ending June 3 reveal that the firm has $15.9 million in the bank to support the development program of its lead anti-cancer drug candidate ACL 16907. [ + ]

It has been a big year for regional biotech-flavoured venture funds to be launched from New Zealand. The latest is Finistere Partners, a San-Diego based venture capital firm, which has launched a new fund targeted at agricultural biotechnology and medical devices. [ + ]

Exorex, a non-steroidal treatment for psoriasis exclusively marketed in Australia by Epitan's (ASX:EPT) wholly-owned subsidiary EpiPharm, has been recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) reimbursement. [ + ]

NeuroSolutions, a subsidiary of newly listed neurology-focused biotech company NeuroDiscovery (ASX:NDL) has entered into a collaborative agreement with Epichem, a subsidiary of PharmAust (ASX:PAA) to assist with the development of one of NeuroSolutions' lead pain drug candidates, NSL-036. [ + ]

Biotechnology companies should not take money from just anybody, a meeting in Sydney heard this morning. [ + ]

Sydney-based Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) has signed an exclusive agreement with Reliant Technologies to distribute the California-based company's Fraxel laser product range in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. [ + ]

Artificial heart company Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has posted a net loss of $AUD26.6 million for 2004-05, up 68 per cent from $15.9 million in the previous financial year. [ + ]

BioTech Capital (ASX:BTC) investee Stem Cell Sciences has been awarded an exclusive license to a new patented technology to derive and grow neural stem cells. [ + ]

Melbourne's Antisense Therapeutics (ASX:ANP) has reported a full-year after-tax loss of AUD$6.2 million, up from $4.6 million from last year, in results described by CEO Mark Diamond as "good news tinged with less than positive news". [ + ]

Select Vaccines' (ASX:SLT) executive chairman Jeremy Cooper has retired as a director and will be replaced by Robin Beaumont as non-executive chairman. Dr Martin Soust has become the Select Vaccines' full-time managing director, relinquishing his role as part-time CEO at Premier Bionics (ASX:PBI) but remaining with the company as a non-executive director. Peter Marks has been appointed as a non-executive director for Select Vaccines. [ + ]

Sydney-based gastrointestinal drug development company Giaconda, has opened its initial public offering and plans to list on the ASX in late September, with the aim of raising AUD$6 million. [ + ]