A leading New Zealand biotechnologist has urged Australian and New Zealand medical researchers to establish a trans-Tasman research consortium to explore the body's cell-signalling systems. [ + ]

The Biosphere New Zealand Roadshow 2004 has hit the road in Melbourne, arguing the case for a strategic union of the biotechnology industries on either side of the Tasman Sea. [ + ]

Prima Biomed (ASX: PRR) announced today it had finalised its $10 million placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. [ + ]

Optiscan (ASX:OIL) has won earlier-than-expected clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the flexible endomicroscope it is jointly developing with Pentax. [ + ]

A research team at the University of Queensland has identified a promising new target for an anti-obesity therapy: an enzyme that appears to have a central role in the development of fat-storage cells called adipocytes. [ + ]

A potentially lucrative drug-development deal between UK pharma Argenta and domain-antibody pioneer Domantis limited has added a silver lining to the week for Sydney biotech Peptech (ASX:PTD), which has a 36.1 per cent stake in Domantis. [ + ]

Onyx Pharmaceuticals - which is developing one of the most promising new cancer therapies on the horizon - has said it will not file for US approval of its kidney cancer drug as soon as some investors had anticipated. [ + ]

Danish company Novozyme is aiming to become the "Intel" of biopharmaceuticals, and is looking for opportunities for partnerships, acquisitions and technology licensing in Australia. [ + ]

Melbourne's Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTX, NASDAQ:GNTLY) will be ensuring Australian punters won't be sold the proverbial pup, after signing an exclusive, five-year contract with Greyhounds Australasia to provide DNA-based parentage testing to the greyhound racing industry in Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]

Pharmaxis (ASX: PXS) has achieved a major milestone with the successful completion of the Phase III clinical trial for its asthma diagnostic and treatment management tool Aridol. [ + ]

Panbio (ASX:PBO) has received US Food and Drug Administration clearance for its West Nile virus IgG diagnostic assay, and appointed former Woolworths and Elders IXL manager John Lee as a non-executive director and chairman of the company's board. [ + ]

Brisbane cancer-drug developer Peplin Biotech (ASX:PEP) is preparing to run a phase II trial of its promising skin-cancer drug PEP005 early next year, after completing a multi-centre, Phase I safety trial in US volunteers with actinic keratoses. [ + ]

Prima Biomed (ASX: PRR) has called a trading halt as it finalises a $10 million capital raising to institutional and sophisticated investors. [ + ]

A development glitch may be responsible for the failure of a prototype vaccine against deadly avian influenza, developed by Sydney veterinary vaccine company Imugene (ASX:IMU). [ + ]

Ventracor (ASX:VCR) has wrapped up a "successful" pilot trial of its VentrAssist artificial heart device -- including one bridge-to-transplant patient who has now received a donor heart -- and is set to beef up its marketing and distribution capabilities, shareholders heard today at the company's AGM. [ + ]