Trading in shares of Sydney-based company Gradipore were halted this afternoon after one of the company's directors sought to call a shareholder meeting to remove four directors from the board and elect two new ones. [ + ]

Sydney-based clinical systems company Détente Systems has scored a major international coup, selling its gene database system to the prestigious Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in the UK. [ + ]

Sydney's Brain Resource Company, a compiler of global brain function databases, has benefited from a 13.5 per cent, $AUD2.5 million share buy from a mystery investor. [ + ]

With Cephalon and its takeover retiring behind the sidelines - officially, at least -- Sirtex is back to business, according to founder and CEO Bruce Gray. With a changed team if necessary. [ + ]

Melbourne company Genetic Technologies (GTG) has introduced a twist in its licensing strategy by offering companies the chance to be forgiven for past transgressions of GTG's non-coding DNA patents. [ + ]

EvoGenix has won $900,000 from the latest round of federal government R&D Start grant awards, adding a major boost to its R&D program over the next two years. [ + ]

Researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney have undertaken the first comprehensive and scientifically rigorous research into the effects of acupuncture on pain threshold, clarifying some of the basic assumptions about traditional Chinese acupuncture.

Sirtex shareholders watched their stocks slump today as potential takeover candidate Cephalon pulled out after acceptance had not reached the stated 90 per cent condition. [ + ]

Melbourne drug discovery company Cytopia has claimed its lead anti-cancer compounds were active in vitro against a common form of childhood cancer. [ + ]

Sydney biotech Peptech has reported "outstanding" results from a cut-down experimental antibody molecule as potential treatment for the crippling autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis. [ + ]

Healthcare giant Mayne has filed a Victorian Supreme Court claim against troubled manufacturer Pan Pharmaceuticals, following an estimated $AUD25 million-plus loss of revenue and recall costs. [ + ]

Discovery biotech Progen has snapped up one of the casualties of last month's Alchemia implosion, in the form of business development manager Dr Darren Schliebs, previously employed at Alchemia's San Francisco office. [ + ]

Anti-cancer biotech Solbec Pharmaceuticals has committed to abandoning its mining roots with a penultimate sell-off of several mineral leases, and a pledge to sell the remainder soon. [ + ]

Australia needs to be vigilant about ensuring its current high level of scientific expertise in animal disease prevention and control is maintained in the future, according to speakers at CSIRO's Horizons in Livestock Sciences conference.

An Australian-US study has shown it may be possible to develop a 'firewall' vaccine against the world's most dangerous human pathogen, the influenza virus. [ + ]