Benitec Biopharma Limited

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF) announced today that Ms Sue MacLeman will step down from the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director to pursue other opportunities. She has agreed however to stay actively involved with Benitec as a Strategic Advisor at this exciting time for the Company. A transition arrangement has been put in place. Mr Mel Bridges and Dr John Chiplin will both move to Executive Director roles within the Company and the Board will be further strengthened in the coming months.

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF) today announced that a patent "Control of Gene Expression", part of the Graham patent family of RNA interference (RNAi) patents was granted in Japan. The "Control of Gene Expression patent" is a patent in the foundational Graham RNAi patent family and is related to the '099 patent currently under reexamination at the USPTO.

ABN Newswire stocks to watch today include: Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX:GXY) (PINK:GALXF), Conquest Mining Limited (ASX:CQT) (PINK:CQMLF), Australian Bauxite Limited (ASX:ABZ), Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF), AusTex Oil Limited (ASX:AOK) (PINK:ATXDF), Bandanna Energy Limited (ASX:BND), WestSide Corporation Limited (ASX:WCL) and Texon Petroleum Ltd (ASX:TXN).

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF) provides the following update on the USA Patent Re-examination of the "Graham" patent 6,573,099.

ABN Newswire stocks to watch today include: AuDAX Resources Ltd (ASX:ADX)(PINK:ADXRF), Bauxite Resources Limited (ASX:BAU)(PINK:BXRDF), Pan Asia Corporation Limited (ASX:PZC), Magnetic Resources NL (ASX:MAU), Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF), Rex Minerals Limited (ASX:RXM) and NewSat Limited (ASX:NWT).

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF) is one of the pioneers of RNA interference (RNAi) technology, which can be used to precisely destroy RNA viruses and silence the expression of defective genes. Benitec's core patents and licenses provide key technologies to trigger RNAi in human cells and in live animals. Benitec holds exclusive worldwide rights for the development and commercialisation of all therapeutic human applications.

ABN Newswire stocks to watch today include: Emergent Resources Limited (ASX:EMG), Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF), Legend Mining Limited (ASX:LEG) (PINK:LGDMF) and Drillsearch Energy Limited (ASX:DLS) (PINK:DRLLF).

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) licensee company Tacere Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) has exercised the option, granted in a collaboration and license agreement previously announced in January 2008, to further develop and commercialise Tacere's Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) compounds.

The Australian sharemarket extended last week's losing streak as latest report of China's growing manufacturing activity raised fears on a new round of credit tightening by the Chinese government. The S&P/ASX200 fell 45.5 points, or 1 per cent, to 4524.1, while the broader All Ordinaries index today lost 52.1 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 4544.8.

ABN Newswire stocks to watch today include: WestSide Corporation Limited (ASX:WCL), Texon Petroleum Limited (ASX:TXN), Pan Asia Corporation Ltd (ASX:PZC), Anglo Australian Resources NL (ASX:AAR) (PINK:AAURF), Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT) (PINK:BNIKF) and CityView Corporation Limited (ASX:CVI) (OTC:CTVWF).