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. [ + ]

Big pharma looks sick. A host of third-quarter earnings figures this week confirms the mounting pressures faced by many drug makers on both sides of the Atlantic as prices are squeezed, sales growth in major markets slows and research productivity falls. [ + ]

A pre-clinical trial in which 26 sheep were implanted with Sunshine Heart's (ASX:SHC) C-Pulse heart-assist device has shown it to be safe and functional, with all animals exhibiting normal arteries 10 months after the devices were implanted. [ + ]

PolyNovo Biomaterials, a 50-per cent owned subsidiary of Perth's Xceed Biotechnology (ASX:XBL), has entered a research alliance with Melbourne's Bionic Ear Institute to develop a more sophisticated bionic ear that could dramatically improve patients' hearing by inducing new auditory nerves to grow and connect with the bionic implant. [ + ]

New Jersey-based Merck has reported a 28 per cent drop in quarterly profit and said 2004 earnings will fall as much as 11 per cent due to last month's recall of its Vioxx arthritis drug. [ + ]