> As promised, Schering-Plough CEO invested $2 million in the company's common stock, or 110,000 shares. Hassan had pledged to buy the shares just after results of the Enhance trial were released, showing that Schering's top drug Vytorin worked no better than a generic statin at preventing artery-clogging. Report
> Eighteen new biopharma facilities were completed during the first quarter, built for medical device companies, the feds, universities, and contract manufacturers, according to a report from Industrial Info. Release
> The European drug-review committee gave its thumbs-up to Relistor, a constipation treatment from Wyeth and Progenics Pharmaceuticals; a final decision from the European Commission is expected midyear. Report
> The EMEA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use also gave the nod to UCB's restless legs drug Neupro. Report
> California's highest court upheld a $300 million judgment against Genentech for breach of contract with City of Hope medical center, but set aside $200 million in punitive damages. Report
> Device maker Thoratec got the FDA nod for its HeartMate II pump. Report
> Ranbaxy got FDA approval to make and sell the allergy med cetirizine in an oral solution form. Release
> Harvard President Drew Faust has crunched the numbers on NIH funding of extramural research programs and concludes that the government-backed system to support biotech research efforts is broken. NIH report
> Follow-on biologics are often cited as major long-term threat to the biotech industry, which so far has not had to face a future where generic therapies are allowed to slice and dice the market for approved therapies. Biogeneric report
> Cubist Pharmaceuticals has agreed to pay Dyax $15 million upfront and up to $216.5 million more in potential milestone payments for collaboration rights to Dyax's experimental therapy for the prevention of blood loss during surgery in North America and Europe. Dyax report
> Fresh off the FDA's approval of Cimzia for Crohn's disease, UCB chief executive Roch Doliveux forecast a swift regulatory success in Europe. UCB report
> GSK is confident it can prevail in vaccine battle. Report
> Genocea Biosciences has been recognized as the best vaccine startup company at a meeting of the World Vaccine Congress in Washington D.C. Report
> After more than a decade of attempts, it looks like Congress might finally pass a bill that would block health insurers from denying coverage to otherwise healthy persons based on their genetic predisposition to come down with a particular disease. Report
And Finally... Following a series of major setbacks trying to develop a vaccine for AIDS, pessimistic researchers say they're years away from success. Report