Prima Biomed (ASX:PRR) and the Austin Research Institute (ARI) have reached an in principle agreement enabling Prima to gain full ownership of its four subsidiary companies, Oncomab, Panvax, Cancer Vac and Arthron. [ + ]

Brisbane cancer drug developer Progen Industries (ASX:PGL, NASDAQ:PGLAF) will expand its phase II clinical trial program into prostate cancer to assess the efficacy and safety of its PI-88 angiogenesis inhibitor in combination with Sanofi-Aventis' chemotherapy agent Taxotere (docetaxel). [ + ]

A week after revealing spectacular preclinical results from its novel NeurotropinCell therapy for Huntington's disease, Auckland-based cell-therapy specialist Living Cell Technologies (ASX:LCT) has announced a therapeutic injection in its bottom line, after a successful capital raising pumped AUD$2.3 million into its coffers. [ + ]

Botanical therapeutics specialist Solagran (ASX:SLA) has defended its financial position, after receiving a 'please explain' from the Australian Stock Exchange. [ + ]

Melbourne-based Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) has signed an agreement with health and lifestyle industry supplier Sportsstyle for the marketing and distribution of its ACTN3 SportsGene Test throughout Japan. [ + ]

Bone Medical (ASX:BNE) has received approval for a level one American Depository Receipt (ADR) program with receipts tradable in the over-the-counter market under the code BMEDY. [ + ]

Brisbane-based materials science specialist Bio-Layer is planning a backdoor listing on the ASX through SSH Medical (ASX:SSH) in September, aiming to raise between $3.5 and $5 million in capital to commercialise its products. [ + ]

Brisbane biopharma Alchemia (ASX:ACL) has been named the overall winner of the Queensland Government's Smart Awards 2005 for its efforts towards commercialising a new treatment to fight cancer. [ + ]

Agenix (ASX:AGX, NASDAQ:OTC:AGXLY) has signed a multi-million dollar contract with US company Diosynth Biotechnology to begin the process of manufacturing its ThromboView blood clot imaging product for phase III clinical trials and commercial sale. [ + ]

Medico and property investor Richard Opara resigned as interim chairman of Polartechnics (ASX:PLT) on June 8. The next day, US biotech executive Len Firestone stepped down as a director. [ + ]

Resonance Health Analysis Services (RHAS), a subsidiary of Perth-based Resonance Health (ASX:RHT) and formerly known as Inner Vision Biometrics, has agreed to provide its FerriScan diagnostic test to Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis Pharma for use in its clinical studies. [ + ]

Sydney-based Biosignal (ASX:BOS) has revealed plans to raise AUD$1 million for additional working capital, as it prepares to take its biofilm technology into contact lens clinical trials. [ + ]

In medicine, good things are coming in increasingly tiny packages: microscopic delivery systems made from polymers or other bio-friendly materials, and stuffed with therapeutic genes, proteins or small synthetic molecules, that can be implanted strategically in the brain or body. [ + ]

The legal battle between artificial heart firms HeartWare (ASX:HTW) and Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has intensified, with HeartWare filing a strong rebuttal to patent infringement action commenced against it by Ventracor and the University of Technology, Sydney. [ + ]

Just what is the centre of the Australian biotech universe? Is it Melbourne, or Sydney, or Brisbane? [ + ]