• Advanced Cell Technology Inc., of Alameda, Calif., entered exclusive and non-exclusive license agreements for intellectual property with Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, and certain Kirin subsidiaries. Advanced Cell also sold to Kirin all of its interests in Hematech LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Kirin. Under a nonexclusive license, Kirin gains rights to certain IP for its development of polyclonal antibodies in non-human mammals. An exclusive license gives Advanced Cell rights to IP directed at methods for the reprogramming of cells for use in connection with the research, development and sale of therapeutic and diagnostic human cell products.

• Clinical Data Inc., of Newton, Mass., entered a five-year collaboration with the Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) at Duke University. Under the terms, Clinical Data's PGxHealth division will provide IGSP with nonexclusive, confidential access to its STRENGTH studies conducted to discover genetic variants associated with baseline lipid parameters, and the response of those parameters to statins. In return, Clinical Data receives the right to evaluate the commercial potential of any findings derived from studies whether either the STRENGTH clinical and/or genetic databases are used, and receives first right to negotiate a commercial license relating to the findings.

• DNA Therapeutics SA, of Paris, will be incorporated this week. A spin-off from the Curie Institute and located at the Genopole Biocluster, it is focused on the DNA repair system. It has Dbait as its lead molecule, a first-in-class small inhibiting DNA. The compound has demonstrated anticancer efficacy in xenografted mice models, inhibiting the post-chemotherapy or radiotherapy salvage pathway constituted by the DNA repair system.

• Hemosol Corp., of Toronto, said that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved a final extension of the time by which Hemosol and its affiliate, Hemosol LP, are required to file proposals for their respective creditors, moving the deadline to May 23. The negotiations with the potential purchaser that submitted a conditional offer for all the assets of Hemosol are continuing.

• Illumina Inc., of San Diego, filed a preliminary prospectus supplement to a shelf registration for a public offering of 3.5 million shares of common stock. Shares have not yet been priced. The company also granted underwriters the right to buy up to an additional 525,000 shares. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Merrill Lynch & Co. are acting as joint book-running and co-lead managers of the offering. Cowen and Co. is acting as a co-lead manager, and Robert W. Baird & Co. is acting as co-manager. Illumina develops and markets next-generation tools for large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function.

• ImQuest Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Frederick, Md., said data reported at the International Conference on Antiviral Research in Puerto Rico showed that the pyrimidinedione class of HIV inhibitors act to prevent the entry of virus to target cells in the vaginal environment, totally suppress the spread of virus and synergistically inhibit virus replication when used in combination with other anti-HIV microbicides. The company, which licensed the products from Samjin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Seoul, South Korea, plans to develop a pyrimidinedione product as a topical microbicide to prevent HIV transmission in the developing world.

• Neuroderm Ltd., of Ofakim, Israel, was granted $490,000 by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. The award will support clinical work to develop a new transdermal skin patch for continuous delivery of levodopa, the natural precursor of dopamine, which is deficient in Parkinson's disease. Neuroderm's system is based on a formulation involving a prodrug, levodopa ester, which has shown success in animal models in maintaining steady therapeutic levodopa blood levels.

• PDI Inc., of Saddle River, N.J., signed an agreement with an undisclosed pharmaceutical company for a new contract sales engagement. The contract, effective immediately, is expected to produce about $23 million to $25 million in revenue this year, indicated PDI, which provides sales and marketing services, and about $35 million to $40 million over its one-year term.

• Predix Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., of Lexington, Mass., said a paper describing the discovery process of its lead drug candidate, PRX-00023, for generalized anxiety disorder, was published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society. The paper highlights Predix's drug discovery process using in silico methods that integrate computational chemistry with medicinal chemistry, which reduced discovery time for the drug. PRX-00023, a long-acting, non-azapirone 5-HT1A agonist, is in Phase III testing.

• Skystar Bio-Pharmaceutical, of Xi'an, China, formed a joint venture with Xi'an Tianlong Science and Technology Ltd., which has developed a method for detecting the presence of the avian flu virus. SkyStar and Xi'an Tianlong will continue development of the real-time fluorescence RT-PCR examination system. Terms were not disclosed. Formed in 1997, Skystar produces and distributes vaccines, microorganisms and organic herbal additives to cure and prevent disease in poultry, livestock, birds and pets.