Spotlight On... Pearson returns to Valeant with promise to boost payer, government relations; FDA approves Roche's Gazyva in follicular lymphoma; PhRMA's new chief tackles a tough job; Novartis expands Afinitor's NET market; and more...

Valeant ($VRX) CEO J. Michael Pearson, sidelined for two months with pneumonia, is back--and he's got a new set of priorities to dig his company out of its current rut. Among them: Beef up relationships with payers, regulators and government officials, he said Sunday. More from FiercePharma

> The FDA has green-lighted Roche ($RHHBY) treatment Gazyva in certain patients with previously treated follicular lymphoma. Release

> PhRMA's new chief, Stephen Ubl, is taking on the role at a tough time for the industry, and so far, his statements on changing the story about pharma price hikes have been hit or miss, Forbes suggests. Report

> Novartis ($NVS) won a new use for its cancer therapy Afinitor as a treatment for patients with certain types of inoperable neuroendocrine tumors originating in the lungs or gastrointestinal tract. Release

> Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie ($ABBV) are said to be in talks for a cancer-focused partnership; the German drugmaker sells two lung cancer meds and is studying new products for lung and bowel cancer, while AbbVie shares marketing of the blood cancer drug Imbruvica. Report

> Regeneron ($REGN) and Bayer's Eylea failed to hang onto its advantage over Roche's Lucentis at treating diabetic macular edema in the latest results from a two-year NIH-funded trial; at the one-year mark, Eylea appeared to deliver better gains in certain patients. Report

And Finally... China says it's planning to speed up the pace of its new drug approvals. Report