An article published on September 8, headlined 'Nucleonics challenges Benitec-CSIRO RNAI patent' contained errors relating to the timing of the filing of key patents. [ + ]

Monash University researcher Jamie Rossjohn has been awarded the AUD$50,000 2004 Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year for his work on protein structure and crystallography. [ + ]

Early results from Solbec Pharmaceutical's (ASX: SBP) Phase I clinical trial to test the safety and tolerability of its glycoalkaloid-based anti-cancer drug SBP002 in patients with advanced mesothelioma and melanoma have been unexpectedly good, with a number of the patients requesting to continue on the drug after the trial ended. [ + ]

Perth veterinary drug developer Chemeq Limited (ASX:CMQ) has announced it will issue a replacement prospectus after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission placed an interim stop order on the prospectus it issued late last month for a rights issue to raise $9.94 million. [ + ]

Select Vaccines' (ASX:SLT) licence partner Genelabs Diagnostics has provided the World Health Organisation with a "significant quantity" of the hepatitis E rapid diagnostic kits developed by Select, the company said today. [ + ]

The inventor of the cochlear implant, Prof Graeme Clark, will use the AUD$300,000 cheque from the 2004 Prime Minister's Science Prize he was awarded this week to establish a $6 million professorial chair in medical bionics at his Bionic Ear Institute in Melbourne. [ + ]

Amrad (ASX:AML) spin-out Avexa is ready to list following shareholder approval of the demerger and the granting of Federal Court approval of the scheme of arrangement. [ + ]

Pennsylvanian anti-viral therapeutics developer Nucleonics has opened a new front, on Australian soil, in its battle with Brisbane biotech Benitec (ASX:BLT) and Australia’s national research agency, CSIRO, over ownership of key patents for the revolutionary gene-silencing technology called RNA interference (RNAi). [ + ]

University of Melbourne spin-off Cryptopharma has been awarded a AUD$1.5 million R&D Start grant to support its respiratory therapeutics program. [ + ]

A DNA tag for livestock -- a joint venture development between Brisbane biotechnology company Genetic Solutions and livestock management company Allflex -- has won recognition at the 2004 Premier of Queensland Smart Awards. [ + ]

Two years ago, GroPep (ASX:GRO) was in trouble, badly burned and without a CEO after an ill-advised acquisition of Biotech Australia. Now, it looks like a different company -- profitable, and turning its attention towards its biopharmaceutical development projects after a successful turn-around in its fortunes. [ + ]

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has heard renewed calls for a national system for tracking the safety of critical implants and devices. [ + ]

A report by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) following an 18-month inquiry into genetic patents has concluded that significant patent law reforms are needed to accommodate cutting-edge genetic technology. [ + ]

The company created by the merger between BresaGen's US-based stem cell therapy business and the San Diego based company Cythera has merged again with Novocell, a Californian company commercialising encapsulated cell technology for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases. [ + ]

Biosignal (ASX:BOS) will test its anti-bacterial compounds for activity against several species of oral bacteria, in a study that could open up a previously unexplored market niche for the company in the oral health sector. [ + ]