Buoyed by the data from a recent research paper out of Cambridge University, gene discovery biotech AGT Biosciences has announced it has broadened its patent covering PARL (formerly gene AGT203) to cover cancer, aging and some other diseases. [ + ]

Biopharma Novogen has been granted a US patent for isoflavone treatment for fibroids and endometriosis specific to women. [ + ]

The Australian Proteome Analysis Facility (APAF) has "dramatically increased its throughput capability" with the installation of a new Applied Biosystems 4700 Proteomics Discovery System. [ + ]

Sydney's Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute has signed a deal to investigate a tissue restorative agent, BDM-K, for Melbourne biopharma BioDiem [ + ]

Melbourne-based EpiTan's share price (ASX:EPT) has doubled since April, but that's just because of increased market awareness, the company has told the Australian Stock Exchange. [ + ]

A new fund, spearheaded by stockbrokers Intersuisse, British VC Rothschild Bioscience Managers and Sequence Capital Group, aims to raise AUD$150 million and overseas backing for Australian biotech companies. [ + ]

An Australian scientist has been elected Vice-President of the international body that guides research into the nature of our planet.

UK scientist and entrepreneur Prof Peter Shepherd is amazed at how much biotechnology activity there is in Australia. [ + ]

US firm Avi BioPharma has asked US regulators to grant 'orphan' status to its experimental drug against the virus that causes SARS, a designation meant to provide seven years of marketing exclusivity for medicines. [ + ]

While the incidence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) -- the human form of mad cow disease -- appears to have slowed in the UK after 146 confirmed cases since the epidemic began in the mid-1990's, a new wave of cases could be waiting in the wings, according to Australian neuroscientist Prof Colin Masters. [ + ]

Adelaide-based genomics biotech Bionomics has appointed a new heavy hitter to its financial team with the signing up of ex-Faulding and ex-Mayne commercialisation expert Lee Craker as new CFO. [ + ]

Expatriate Australian Dr John Sime is headed back to Australia next January, with plans to improve the links between the Australian and the British biotechnology industries. [ + ]

Adelaide-based GroPep has continued to shuck off the disastrous after-effects of its purchase of Biotech Australia by posting a second-half profit for 2002-03. [ + ]

There are four big targets for computer companies when it comes to networked and clustered computers: energy; manufacturing, financial services – and bioinformatics, according to John Davies, general manager of eBiz channels and marketing at Intel. [ + ]

Intel is looking hard at the emerging market of biotech devices. [ + ]