Daily News Briefs

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc., a Reno, Nev., supplier of advanced ceramic nanomaterial technology, announced that the US Patent Office has allowed Altair's patent application describing the process and underlying technology for producing nano-size and submicron-size oxides of lithium and a transition metal with particle size over a range of 10 to 1,000 nanometers and with narrow size dispersion. The patent was derived from developing cathode materials for next-generation lithium ion batteries and complements a patent announced by Altair in January relating to materials for anodes. . . . Light Sciences Corp., developer of light-infusion technology (Litx), has created three new subsidiaries: Light Sciences Oncology Inc., Visient Therapeutics Inc. and Vascular Reconditioning Inc. The spinoff companies will develop light-activated treatments using Litx, a photodynamic therapy platform in which the photoreactive drug LS11 (talaporfin sodium) is activated by light from an LED-based light infusion device to treat diseases such as macular degeneration and atherosclerosis. The companies will have exclusive access to Light Sciences' intellectual property and will individually seek venture funding.