ALSO NOTED: Appeals court overturns $32M Vioxx award; One-drug stockpiles 'not enough' for pandemic flu;

> A Texas appeals court overturned a Vioxx jury verdict, ruling in favor of Merck and negating damages originally set at $32 million. Judges said there was "insufficient evidence" supporting the jury's verdict. Release [1]

> The H5N1 strain of bird flu is growing resistant to Tamiflu, the Roche drug stockpiled by governments all over the world in preparation for a possible pandemic; experts now advise countries to stockpile a competing antiviral, Relenza, as well. Report [2]

> Counterfeit drugs in India are becoming such a problem--with an estimated 5 percent to 20 percent of meds sold being fake--that the government may start paying a premium for drugs made by companies with at least one factory approved by foreign inspectors. Report [3]

> The Australian government is moving toward an industry-funded drug-regulatory committee, to the consternation of pharma and public health experts alike. Report [4]

> Health ministers from around the world will meet next week during the World Health Assembly to debate patent rules that developing countries say keep life-saving medicines out of their hands. Report [5]

> For the first time, more than half of insured Americans are taking prescription drugs for chronic health problems, particularly high blood pressure and cholesterol. Report [6]

> Cambridge Major Laboratories is set to build a new 120,000-square-foot plant in Wisconsin, in a bid to expand into large-scale active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing. Report [7]

> Sepracor's CFO David P. Southwell resigned, to be replaced by Executive Vic e President Robert Scumaci. Release [8]

> Salix Pharmaceuticals is suing Novel Laboratories for patent infringement over the bowel-cleansing med MoviPrep. Report [9]

> Palatin Technologies is cutting about a third of its workforce and dumping one of its lead development programs--an effort to find a better tolerated successor to sildenafil. Layoff report [10]

> The analysts devoted to tracking biotech companies in the oncology arena will have their hands full tonight at 9 p.m. EST. That's when ASCO will do an online data dump in advance of its annual meeting, revealing many of the little--and big--details that could spell swift gyrations in the value of a company's shares. ASCO report [11]

> Recruiting the right number of the right patients for any clinical trial can be a tough prospect. Now there are a host of new efforts to match a patient with a clinical trial, including a service offered by the for-profit company EmergingMed. Clinical trial report [12]

> You can file the following under the category of really, really bleak forecasts: The rising cost of healthcare in the developing world matched by an aging population is creating a perfect storm for drug developers that threaten their entire industry. Report [13]

And Finally... An expensive drug used to treat the genetic disorder phenylketonuria may also be effective at treating enlarged hearts. Report [14]