Bayer sells off two older animal health drugs to Sanofi; Eli Lilly posts its first dividend increase since 2009;

@FiercePharma: Speaking of special reports, here's our newest: The top 10 patent expirations of 2015. Feature | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: ICYMI: Third round of cuts slated for Novartis US Diovan plant. Total reaches 133 with 394 more gone by 2016. More | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: Happy Hanukkah, #Pharma... here's a list of next year's biggest patent expirations. Article | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Bayer is selling off two aging animal health products to Sanofi's ($SNY) animal health company, Merial. Story

> Eli Lilly ($LLY) posted its first dividend increase since 2009, boosting its quarterly dividend by 2%. More

> German regulators' ban on 80 generic drugs was halted due to appeals filed by manufacturers. Story

> France's Ipsen won FDA approval for its Somatuline Depot injection to treat gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. More

> Canadian drug manufacturer BioVectra is launching a $25 million overhaul of a former Sepracor plant. Story

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: Roche launches point-of-care, PCR molecular diagnostic system from $450M deal for iQuum. Report | Follow @FierceMedDev

@EmilyWFierce: Philips to acquire Volcano for $1.2B to expand in image-guided therapy. Report from Reuters | Follow @EmilyWFierce

> First pathogen reduction system for plasma approved by FDA. Article

> Smartphone plug-in launched for diagnosing ear infections. Item

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Amgen vet reveals stealth startup Flexus, backed by $38M from Kleiner Perkins, Celgene. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Auspex's Huntington's drug hits the mark in Phase III. Report | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: SV wealthbro Sean Parker pledges $24M to allergy research. Release | Still no word on his last effort. More | Follow @DamianFierce

> Playing a hot hand, Juno ups the ante on a $200M-plus IPO. News

> J&J rents Halozyme's R&D technology for up to $581M. Article

> Neovacs blasted after lead therapy flops in PhIIb for rheumatoid arthritis. Report

Drug Delivery News

> Study: Patients don't know how to use drug delivery devices. More

> Sanofi's newly approved intradermal quadrivalent Fluzone forgoes the shot. Item

> Molecular 'hats' disguise peptides until activated with UV light at a target. Article

> MIT spinoff Microchips finishes development of its birth control, osteoporosis implant. Story

> RNAi specialist Alnylam to focus on three therapeutic areas. Report

Diagnostics News

> Roche expands use of next-gen blood tests for organ and tissue screening. Report

> FDA approves diagnostic to spot blood cancer-causing virus. Story

> Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics launches Astute Medical's acute kidney injury test in U.S. hospitals. Item

> Ariosa Diagnostics nabs expanded national coverage for noninvasive prenatal test. Article

> Roche scoops up AvanSci Bio tissue dissection technology to bolster molecular Dx offerings. More

Pharma Marketing News

> Point-of-care marketing could shoot past DTC as pharma's latest trend. Report

> Marketing lesson from Actavis' Namenda ruling: For a hard switch, keep your mouths shut. More

> Actavis revs up new commercial team for post-Allergan-merger sales race. Story

> More CEO watchers put Gilead's Martin on their 'best of 2014' lists. Item

> Sanofi, Regeneron lay groundwork for PCSK9 rollout with Cholesterol Counts campaign. Article

And Finally… As deaths from painkiller overdoses increase in the U.S., some states are lobbying to make overdose-reversal drug naloxone more widely available to consumers. Story (sub. req.)