Brisbane-based Peplin Biotech (ASX: PEP) announced today that its US partner Allergan had filed two amended IND applications with the FDA for Peplin's PEP005, a topical formulation for skin cancer treatment. [ + ]

Eiffel Technologies (ASX: EIF) has signed an agreement with Singapore company NanoMaterials Technology to jointly develop new technology for drug reengineering. [ + ]

Perth-based opthamology specialist Regenera (ASX: RGA) today extended its IP portfolio, announcing the assignment on an Australian provisional patent to its subsdiary Retmed. [ + ]

Auckland anti-cancer drug developer Proacta Therapeutics is celebrating after stitching together a venture-capital deal to begin human clinical trials of two of its lead compounds next year. [ + ]

Melbourne gene-test company Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) has granted a license to New Zealand agbiotech company Ovita Limited to apply GTG’s non-coding DNA patents to its own internal activities. [ + ]

Agenix (ASX: AGX) subsidiary Agen Biomedical has agreed to settle its litigation with its former US distributor Synbiotics over alleged infringements of Synbiotics' canine heartworm diagnostics and related supply contract issues. [ + ]

Sydney-based pooled development fund BioTech Capital (ASX:BTC) has dipped its toe into the medical device sector with a $2 million investment in Continence Control Systems (CCS). [ + ]

The Science Industry Australia (SIA) has released their latest newsletter 'Science Industry "Action"' in line with the launch of the Science Industry Action Agenda by the Commonwealth Government.

Sydney-based biotechnology company Avastra (ASX: AVS) has turned in one of the poorest performances amongst recent biotech IPOs, after listing without fanfare earlier this week. In their Wednesday debut, Avastra shares dropped below their AUD$1.00 issue price to close at $0.85. At time of writing, they had slumped further to AUD$0.72. [ + ]

North Ryde animal-health biopharma Imugene Limited (ASX:IMU) is fast-tracking the commercialisation of its recently acquired receptor mimic technology (RMT). [ + ]

Melbourne biopharma Anadis (ASX:ANX) has signed an agreement with its long-time collaborator Tatura Milk Industries (TMI) that will secure its supply of antibody-rich colostrum from cows vaccinated with its patented vaccines. [ + ]

The sixth patient in Ventracor's (ASX:VCR) pilot trial has been implanted with the company's 'VentrAssist' left ventricular assistance device at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne. [ + ]

It’s deep red, juicy, tastes superb and should protect slightly less than 50 per cent of consumers against one of the most common of all cancers. And it’s not genetically modified. [ + ]

Fertility clinic Sydney IVF has obtained stem cells from an Australian embryo, which it will make available to stem cell researchers. [ + ]

Norwood Abbey Ltd [ASX:NAL NASDAQ:NABYF] is close to snatching victory from the jaws of a hostile London investment market, announcing today that its subsidiary Norwood Immunology will list next Wednesday on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), selling 15 million shares and raising AUD$15 million. [ + ]