• Affymetrix Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., said it granted Empire Genomics LLC, of Buffalo, N.Y., a nonexclusive, worldwide license to a number of Affymetrix patents. The patents cover the manufacturing, use and sales of nucleic acid microarrays and related products and services for comparative genomic hybridization. The arrays and services may be used for research or diagnostic purposes. Financial details of the license were not disclosed.

• Applied Biosystems Group, of Foster City, Calif., said the U.S. District Court in Connecticut granted its motion for summary judgment against all remaining claims in a patent infringement case brought against Applera by Enzo Biochem Inc., of New York. The patents are in the field of nucleic acid labeling and detection, and were based on work done at Yale University. Enzo's claim applies specifically to three patents, all of which expired in 2004. Enzo indicated after the ruling that it would appeal. Shares of Enzo (NYSE:ENZ) dropped $5.21, or 29.3 percent, to close at $12.56.

• Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., of Belleville, Ontario, received a $2 million grant from the Rural Economic Development Program of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for developed related to the company's E. coli 1057:H7 cattle vaccine. Bioniche has started limited production of the vaccine, which is used for the reduction of shedding of E. coli bacteria by cattle, at its Belleville facility and that supply is being provided to veterinarians requesting vaccine under the Canadian Permit to Release regulations.

• Genmab A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, said a preclinical study showed ofatumumab (HuMax-CD20) appeared more effective at inducing complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), an immune system killing mechanism, than rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc.). Both antibodies were found to activate CDC and induce profound changes in both shape and appearance of target cells. Genmab said ofatumumab induced much more rapid and profound CDC and far more impressive cell changes, leading to more effective killing of target cells. Data were being presented at a meeting in the UK Sunday.

• Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, which previously reported HE3235 significantly inhibited the incidence of new tumors and stopped the growth of existing tumors in a preclinical model of breast cancer, presented positive updated data. It said existing tumors in HE3235-treated animals still had not progressed and no new tumors were reported during the five weeks of observation after dosing stopped. It also reported when animals with existing tumors were dosed at one-half the strength of the lowest dose previously tested, HE3235 still stopped tumor progression. Data were presented at the ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco. Hollis-Eden plans to file an investigational new drug application with the FDA in the first quarter of 2008 in order to initiate a Phase I/II trial of HE3235 in cancer. The company's stock (NASDAQ:HEPH) gained 67 cents Friday, or 40.9 percent, to close at $2.31.

• Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tustin, Calif., reported preclinical data showing that an equivalent of its lead antibody, bavituximab, significantly shrank resistant human prostate tumors in mice when added to a standard regimen of androgen deprivation and docetaxel. Findings were presented at a prostate cancer conference in Atlanta. Bavituximab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to phosphatidylserine, is being tested in patients with advanced solid tumors and in patients co-infected with HCV and HIV, and Peregrine said plans for a Phase II trial in combination with chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer is undergoing regulatory review in India.

• Rosetta Genomics Ltd., of Rehovot, Isreal, has entered a collaboration with NYU Medical Center to use microRNA profiles to develop a diagnostic test for melanoma. Rosetta will screen more than 700 microRNAs to identify the right prognostic indicator test for harmful melanomas. Rosetta plans to launch three diagnostic products in 2008, including a test for cancer of unknown primary and two differential diagnostic tests related to lung cancer.