The Queensland parliament has passed legislation which allows the Queensland government to regulate the collection of native biological materials for molecular, biochemical or genetic analysis. [ + ]

Cryptome Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CRP) has been awarded an R&D START grant from the Federal government to take its first lead compound, a naturally occurring peptide with anti-coagulant properties, through pre-clinical development and into the clinic for treatment of thrombosis and related cardiovascular conditions. [ + ]

It’s a fair bet that the Therapeutic Goods Administration is currently making like a duck. Although the regulator may present a calm front to the world, below the surface it is paddling like mad, preparing for a huge shift from life as a local regulator to that of a new trans-Tasman joint agency. [ + ]

Once upon a time, biological therapies were plant extracts, tinctures and pills. Physicians also had at their disposal a variety of medical devices. But as new technologies have emerged in the last few years the boundaries between these categories have become increasingly blurred and novel therapies such as pancreatic islet transplantation, haemopoietic stem cells and cellular based vaccines have presented themselves for categorisation by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, under a regime which had, perhaps, become a little outmoded. [ + ]

Having announced a revenue increase of 79 per cent to S$6.5 million and a loss of S$4.31 million for the year ended June 30, Singapore-based generics company Scigen (ASX:SIE) will be topping up its coffers with a private placement to Indian-Russian marketing partner Shreya, and a rights issue to existing shareholders. [ + ]

Melbourne-based Equitx (ASX:EQX) has appointed former Agenix vice president Sue Parry-Jones as chief executive officer. [ + ]

Multinational pharma Bristol-Myers Squibb has engaged Sydney-based cryogenic-storage company Cryosite (ASX:CTE) to manage its clinical trial supply logistics in Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]

If Australia rides on the sheep’s back, new Perth biotech CollTech (ASX:CAU) is capitalising on what lies just beneath the golden fleece: collagen-rich sheepskin. [ + ]

Australian Cancer Technology (ASX: ACU) has announced it will raise AUD$3.7 million, placing 9.5 million fully paid ordinary shares with UK-base Mercury investments at AUD$0.40 per share. The company has also placed 1.7 million three-year options, exercisable at 60 cents per share. [ + ]

Maryland-based MedImmune has halted the clinical trials of its Vitaxin drug for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, blaming a lack of benefits seen with the experimental treatment. [ + ]

Brisbane’s Agenix (ASX: AGX, NASDAQ OTC: AGXLY) announced today it had filed a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) with Health Canada in preparation for the Phase II clinical trials of its ThromboView blood clot imaging technology. [ + ]

Perth tissue-engineering biomedical company Clinical Cell Culture(ASX:CCE) will transplant most of its corporate activities from Perth to Cambridge after gaining approval from the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to market its Cellspray and Cellspray XP products in the UK. [ + ]

Deakin University molecular geneticist Professor Greg Collier was right on the mark when he chose the chubby Israeli sand rat as a model species for his quest for susceptibility genes for non insulin-dependent diabetes. [ + ]

The CSIRO ICT Centre has completed the successful spin-off of its unique compound semiconductor technologies to EpiTactix.

The share price of Perth veterinary drug-developer Chemeq Ltd (ASX:CMQ) lost over 25 per cent of its value when the company resumed trading today after a two-week voluntary suspension. [ + ]