> Connecticut has hopped on the investigatory bandwagon, announcing plans to probe Merck and Schering-Plough's marketing of the anticholesterol combo pill Vytorin. Prescriptions for the drug are down 23 percent since a controversial trial showed it was no better at preventing atherosclerosis than simvastatin alone. Meanwhile, Schering-Plough and Merck saw their stocks climb on a detailed defense of their handling of the trial. Report | Report | Report
> A woman alleges that Merck's Fosamax caused multiple stress fractures and suppressed bone regeneration in her legs; this new lawsuit joins at least 400 others that claim Fosamax causes deterioration of the jawbone. Report
> Eli Lilly stock surged on better-than-expected fourth quarter results; the company reported earnings per share of 90 cents on $5.19 billion in revenue. Report
> Congressional investigators voted to subpoena the FDA about its own probe into the antibiotic Ketek, a Sanofi-Aventis drug that's been linked to liver failure. Report
> Worries about demand for Vyvanse, Shire's treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, plunged the company's stock to a two-year low. Report
> Cough and cold meds send more than 7,000 children to emergency rooms each year, according to a new report that's sure to fuel debate when the FDA considers whether to further restrict the products. Report
> Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories saw third-quarter revenues skyrocket by 162 percent to $81.9 million, largely because of its launch of generic oxcarbazepine, an anti-seizure med. Report
> Cypress Pharmaceutical settled a patent dispute with GlaxoSmithKline over its copycat version of Zantac syrup. Report
> Eisai completed its $3.9 billion buyout of MGI Pharma. Report
> There's been some heated speculation that Biogen Idec--the jilted biotech turned avid suitor--is taking a close look at GenMab, a Danish company in trials for HuMax, a new leukemia therapy. Report
And Finally... Sedentary life may make us genetically old before our time. Report