Four industry visionaries provided a glimpse of the biotechnology industry's future at the final plenary session of BIO 2004, which wrapped up in San Francisco last week. [ + ]

Two patients in Singapore General Hospital suffering from inoperable liver tumours have become the first cancer patients in the world to be treated with an experimental in situ radiation therapy developed by Perth nano-biotech company Psivida (ASX:PSD). [ + ]

As Biogen Idec and Elan await approval from the FDA and the European Medicines Agency for their multiple sclerosis therapeutic, Antegren, Melbourne-based Antisense Therapeutics (ASX:ANP) will also be watching with bated breath. [ + ]

Australian CRO Novotech is setting up operations in the US to take advantage of the clinical trials opportunities offered there. [ + ]

CSIRO statisticians have developed a new molecular classifier tool which is being tested on clinical bone marrow samples from children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) -- the most common cancer in children under 12 -- as a potential diagnostic tool for identifying the disease and its subtypes. [ + ]

The CSIRO -- formerly the largest shareholder in Adelaide-based biopharma GroPep (ASX:GRO) -- last week halved its shareholding in the company, selling 5 million shares valued at just under $3.5 million. [ + ]

Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) has sealed its broad strategic alliance with Perth-based biotech research agency, the CY O'Connor ERADE Village Foundation (CYO), foreshadowed in October last year. [ + ]

One of the most familiar faces and names in New Zealand's biotechnology industry, Genesis Research & Development Corp CEO Dr Jim Watson, is retiring -- but only as far as the research bench. [ + ]

As the prospect of 'genetic passports' and DIY genetics tests grows more imminent, regulators need to get up to speed with scientific developments, this year's Australian Society for Medical Research medallist, Prof Mary Hendrix, has warned. [ + ]

Perth-based tissue engineering company Clinical Cell Culture (C3, ASX:CCE) has signed Rome-based Health Defence to distribute its CellSpray and ReCell products in Italy. [ + ]

Recently-listed XCeed Biotechnology (ASX:XBL) has announced that its subsidiary Polymerco will use Melbourne-based AorTech to manufacture its biodegradeable polyurethane. The product has applications in orthapaedics, wound repair, drug delivery and stents. [ + ]

Queensland premier Peter Beattie has used the BIO 2004 conference in San Francisco as a platform to announce more than AUD$45 million of funding for clinical and medical research, clinical trials, smart foods and research facilities in the state. [ + ]

The NIH's National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has confirmed that it will provide funding to Australia's tammar wallaby sequencing project to allow at least 2X sequence coverage to be obtained. [ + ]

Brisbane diagnostics company Panbio (ASX:PBO) and La Trobe University have received a $117,000 development grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council to develop a simple, rapid, point-of-care diagnostic for malaria. [ + ]

Biota Holdings (ASX:BTA) has filed a statement of claim in the Victorian Supreme Court, moving its litigation against GlaxoSmithKline forward a step. [ + ]