Rockeby biomed (ASX:RBY) has been awarded an additional US patent over its SysCan3 Hospital Test Kit for use in the diagnosis of candida infections such as systemic candidiasis and thrush. [ + ]

Media speculation has forced Adelaide-based GroPep (ASX:GRO) to clarify its position on ethics committee approval for a clinical study of an infertility drug. [ + ]

Prof Mark von Itzstein has won the RACI's Adrien Albert Award for his contribution to medicinal chemistry through the design and development of anti-influenza virus drug Relenza. [ + ]

When asked about Avexa's (ASX:AVX) successful in-licensing of HIV drug AVX754 from UK company Shire Pharmaceuticals, Avexa's CEO, Julian Chick, likes to use the following anonymous quote: "How did a little Australian company with no proven ability in-license a phase II drug from a specialty pharma?" [ + ]

Phase imaging enhancement specialist Iatia (ASX:IAT) is showing the early stages of a turnaround following the signing of two deals within the last month. [ + ]

The Auckland District Health Board has offered its own perspective on the out-of-court settlement of its dispute with Victorian biotech Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) over GTG's request for AUD$12 million in licensing and royalty payments for NZ agencies using its proprietary gene-testing and gene-mapping technologies. [ + ]

A new, federally-funded Research Network for Parasitology met for the first time in Melbourne last week, bringing together more than 200 researchers in a bid to focus research efforts in the area. [ + ]

Preclinical trials of Auckland biopharma Neuren's (ASX:NEU latest neuroprotectant, NNZ-2566, have convinced the US Army's Walter Reed Research Institute in Washington to back a clinical trial of the new drug in brain-trauma patients. [ + ]

The latest list of international research grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has confirmed Australia's status as a leading nation in malaria research. [ + ]

A phase II trial conducted by Novogen (ASX:NRT) subsidiary Glycotex has found that its wound healing compound Glucoprime promotes healing in venous stasis ulcers. [ + ]

Federal treasurer Peter Costello and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch today launched the $2 million Centre for Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE) in Gait Analysis and Rehabilitation at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. [ + ]

A magnetic resonance network has been established in Queensland to provide researchers with high field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment, including a 900 MHz high-resolution spectrometer – the most powerful of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Drug delivery company OBJ (ASX:OBJ) claims to have reached an advanced stage in the development of its coin-sized smart drug patch. [ + ]

Mutual fatigue, and the peculiar challenges involved in negotiating with New Zealand's research and health-service agencies, were behind the mediated settlement of the Auckland District Health Board's dispute with Melbourne biotech Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) over licensing fees for GTG's non-coding DNA gene testing and mapping technology in NZ. [ + ]

Consumer perception of genetic modification (GM) has a big impact on research and the products produced by the agricultural biotechnology industry, delegates at a BioMelbourne BioBreakfast have heard. [ + ]