CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), in Geelong, Victoria, has become the first facility in the world to be accredited as an international collaborative centre for new and emerging diseases.

Acrux has signed an agreement with CSL for the distribution of Acrux's testosterone MDTS (metered dose transdermal spray) treatment in Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]

Neuroscience and mental illness specialist Prof Peter Schofield has been appointed executive director and CEO of the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, and plans to move his 15-strong research team from the Garvan Institute to yet-to-be-built labs in Sydney’s Randwick. [ + ]

CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory has been recognised for its work in identifying and managing new animal viruses that have caused the odd cold sweat in the corridors of human health agencies. [ + ]

Melbourne-based EpiTan (ASX:EPT) has resumed its trial of the sustained release implant for tanning drug, Melanotan. [ + ]

Metabolic Pharmaceuticals was caught off guard yesterday when news of a favourable research report from US analysts Cohen Independent Research Group sent the company's shares up 65 per cent to close at AUD$1.65 after heavy trading. [ + ]

ACT US, the US subsidiary of oncology specialist Australian Cancer Technology ("AustCancer") (ASX: ACU) has signed a distribution deal for its revisys range of nutritional supplements. [ + ]

Peptech (ASX: PTD) has posted a net profit of AUD$29.5 million for the six months ending on 31 March 2004, mostly due to a hefty one-off settlement payment with Abbott and the first in a series of annual payments made under the settlement agreement. [ + ]

US regulators have given the green light for doctors to prescribe Minnesota-based 3M's Aldara for precancerous skin lesions called actinic keratosis. 3M is also awaiting approval for Aldara's use against a common form of non-melanoma skin cancer, superficial basal cell carcinoma. [ + ]

The Institute of Drug Technology (ASX: IDT) has scored a multi-million dollar contract with Pfizer to develop and manufacture a new drug candidate. [ + ]

Brisbane-based Benitec (ASX: BLT) has granted a non-exclusive research licence to Merck & Co, giving permission for Merck to use its DNA-directed RNAi (ddRNAi) technology in research activities. [ + ]

Adelaide epilepsy specialist Bionomics (ASX:BNO) has announced that its patent covering a link between the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ion channel subunit and epilepsy has been accepted in New Zealand. [ + ]

Scottish cancer specialist Cyclacel has announced plans to float on Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange. [ + ]

Australia's efforts to reverse dryland salinity have received a boost with the development of a granular inoculant that helps wattles establish up to five times faster than normal.

Scientists at the Australian National University (ANU) have identified the immune response that determines why some mice are infected with mousepox and others are not, a discovery that could lead to better protection for humans in a bio-terror attack. [ + ]