SYDNEY, May 4 -- AsiaNet AIRCRAFT CONTRACT... OTTAWA: The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) Tuesday announced a contract with the United States Government through Mission Research Corporation (MRC), for two Dash-8 aircraft to be modified by Field Aviation Company Inc. for use as maritime patrol aircraft. http://www.ccc.ca ASTHMA CARE... HAMILTON, Ontario: The worldwide prevalence ofasthma is set to increase further in coming years, according to a report byinternational experts released today, World Asthma Day. http://www.ginasthma.com ING APPOINTMENT... HONG KONG: ING Financial Markets Tuesday announced the appointment of Ehwan Hahm as Head of Debt Capital Markets, Asia, effective immediately. ORPHAN DRUG... BRISBANE: Progen Industries Limited, a progressive Australian anti-cancer drug development company, Tuesday announced that it has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lead anti-angiogenesis product PI-88 for treatment of malignant melanoma. http://www.progen.com.au VIDEO SOFTWARE... TAIPEI: CyberLink Corp., a leading developer of digital video software and training solutions, will now carry the DVD-Video logo for PC Authoring on its PowerProducer 2 Gold software. http://www.gocyberlink.com MINITAB RELEASE... STATE COLLEGE, Pa.: Minitab Inc. Tuesday announced the upcoming release of MINITAB Korean 14, a fully translated, Korean language version of MINITAB 14 - the company's powerful statistical software specially developed for quality professionals. http://www.minitab.com VODACOM LAUNCHES... JOHANNESBURG: Leading South African cellular network operator Vodacom has launched the Vodacom Developer Zone, an Internet-based SMS and MMS (multimedia message service) application development platform, providing a unique environment for developers, entrepreneurs and businesses. http://www.vodazone.co.za GEN-PROBE RESULTS... SAN DIEGO: Gen-Probe Incorporated Monday reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2004, with earnings per share, total revenues and product sales all establishing new records. http://www.gen-probe.com SALES AGREEMENT... DENVER, Colo.: Information Handling Services Inc. (IHS), the leading provider of technical standards and specifications solutions, and the IEEE, one of the world's largest sources for electrical and electronics engineering and computer science information, has signed an agreement to continue their longstanding relationship. http://www.ihs.co ACOLOGIX FINANCING... EMERYVILLE, Calif.: Acologix Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company, based here, Monday announced the closing of its Series B financing of nearly $40 million. http://www.acologix.com FANNIE MAE... WASHINGTON, D.C.: Fannie Mae will redeem the principal amount of one security issue of US$500,000,000 on May 13, 2004 at a redemption price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued interest. http://www.fanniemae.com RADIO LEGEND... SYDNEY: Peter Frilingos, 59, one of Australia's radio rugby league legends died Monday afternoon in Sydney. PHARMACEUTICAL LIMS... PHILADELPHIA: InnaPhase Corporation, a world-leading provider of enterprise Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) solutions, Monday announced that it plans to launch its Newton Pharmaceutical LIMS to the Asia-Pacific market during Interphex Japan 2004, a leading pharmaceutical industry expo and conference being held in Tokyo May 19-21. http://www.innaphase.com HOSPIRA LAUNCHES... LAKE FOREST, Ill.: Hospira, Inc. began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Monday under the symbol "HSP" as one of the largest hospital products manufacturers in the United States. http://www.hospira.com CNOOC FINANCE... HONG KONG: CNOOC Limited Friday announced that the board of CNOOC Finance Corporation Limited has approved the request by the company to increase its board representation at CNOOC Finance and elected Mark Qiu, CFO and Senior Vice President of the Company to its board. http://www.cnoocltd.com MOULIN RESULTS... HONG KONG: Moulin International Holdings Limited, the world's leading integrated manufacturing-distribution eyewear company, Friday announced its annual results for the year ended December 31, 2003. http://www.moulin.com.hk (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agencies distributing unedited, translated news releases for worldwide clients. Visit www.asianetnews.net for full-text versions.)