Invitek Biotechnology and Biodesign GmbH, in cooperation with the Chinese company Allrun Nano Science & Technology, will adapt and extend its products for manual and automated magnetic extraction of nucleic acids.

Invitrogen licensed Natural Section’s mRNA sequences for commercialization.

Bio&Sel will sell and distribute nexttec GmbH’s one-step DNA isolation kits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals granted GeneDesign a license to provide RNAi research products and services.

In October, Genetic Technologies granted a license to Biosearch Technologies for just under AUD1 million ($898,100) to manufacture and distribute oligos, probes and primers for research use.

Sigma-Aldrich is collaborating with the Université de Montréal’s Institute of Research in Immunology and Cancer and will provide the Institute with its RNAi intellectual property portfolio and MISSION shRNA library and utilize the feedback for continued development of tools.

Promega increased its stake in RNAi provider Benetec to 6.15%, following the conversion of an October 2006 promissory note.

Corning entered into an exclusive license and technology purchase agreement with MultiCell Technologies for its Fa2N-4 immortalized adult human liver cell lines, which it will use for assay development, biomarker identification and ADME/Tox applications.

Fiscal 2007 revenues for Enzo Life Sciences increased 40.2% to $6.7 million (see IBO 10/15/07) due to $3.3 million in Axxora product sales (see IBO 5/31/07). Life Sciences sales made up 12.7% of Enzo Biochem sales.

High Throughput Genomics received $10 million in a round of Series C financing led by Merck Capital Ventures.