> In a blow to Merck's 2008 plans, the cholesterol candidate Cordaptive failed to get the FDA's OK; in a "not approvable letter," the agency asked for more data. Release
> The FDA has imposed new requirements on Medtronic's Physio-Control subsidiary after finding new manufacturing problems affecting its external defibrillators; the company faces an extended outage as it fixes the problems. Report
> Five officials from a Chinese pharma were sentenced to prison time for selling a tainted antibiotic that killed 13 people in 2006. Report
> Britain's consumer watchdog has asked GlaxoSmithKline--along with a host of big brand-name companies--for pricing information as part of a price-fixing probe. Report
> As more drug marketing migrates online, pharma companies are struggling to determine their ROI on Internet promos. Report
> The Clinton Foundation and international drug-purchasing consortium Unitaid have struck deals for deeper discounts on more than 40 generic AIDS meds. Report
> The Indian government is mulling plans to cap retail drug margins and penalize drug makers that give pharmacists higher-than-allowed mark-ups. Report
> Pfizer plans to launch its stop-smoking drug Champix in Japan on May 8. Release
> Merck's Indian subsidiary launched its diabetes treatment Januvia in the subcontinent at a price comparable to other diabetes drugs. Report
> Teva got the FDA nod for its generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Flolan, an IV drug for hypertension. Report'
> In what may signal a major shift in FDA standards, Isis and Genzyme say that they expect to add another year to the development timeline for a closely watched cholesterol therapy in order to produce data demonstrating a reduced risk of heart attacks and related diseases rather than just an ability to lower levels of cholesterol. Report
> Economic development officials in Baltimore are fretting that they're one step behind the pace being set in Montgomery County, where low-cost lab space along with offers of small loans and grants have been luring away emerging drug developers. Report
> Shares of Medarex slipped seven percent this morning as investors digested Friday's announcement that its application for a new cancer drug will be delayed into 2009. Medarex report
And Finally... Feeling thick-headed? Train your brain to be more intelligent. Report