The Innovative Medicines Initiative gets under way in earnest on 30 April when would-be participants will learn about the scope of the programme.

The European Society of Human Genetics wants to ban the patenting of genes and DNA sequences but allow patents on genetic tests.

Innogenetics NV has settled its patent dispute with the US pharma giant Abbott over hepatitis C genotyping technology.

The company that produces BlackBerry handhelds is to open an R&D facility on the campus of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany.

The Internet has unleashed waves of innovation – from online banking to virtual drug discovery. But it has also spawned the rise of organised cybercrime.