Byetta beats Lantus in study, Lilly says; Nexavar works in breast cancer trial;

> Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals said a new study showed their long-acting Byetta diabetes med controlled blood sugar better than Sanofi-Aventis' Lantus drug. Report

> Onyx Pharmaceuticals' Nexavar, a liver cancer drug developed with Bayer, prolonged survival in patients with advanced breast cancer when used in combination with chemotherapy, a study showed. Report

> Merck's Isentress failed to reduce low-level reservoirs of the AIDS virus, HIV, when taken in combination with other drugs, thwarting another effort to rid patients of the virus. Report

> Novartis got the FDA nod for its combination blood pressure drug Tekturna HCT, which adds a diuretic to the company's Tekturna drug. Report

> Sinclair Pharma says its revenue for the year ended June 30 is expected to be hit by wholesaler destocking in the face of the economic downturn. Report

Biotech News

> Epix Pharmaceuticals put up a fight, but despite all its efforts to round up fresh working capital the developer says it will now have to wind down its operations and close up shop. Report

> Experts say that with the drug market cluttered by an ever-growing array of products, you need to start giving serious thought to your marketing campaign when the experimental drug is still in Phase II. Report

> With a lead drug for kidney cancer being readied for late-stage clinical trials, Aveo Pharmaceuticals garnered $20 million for expanding its research collaboration with OSI. Report

> HGS isn't the only one benefiting from the positive late-stage data on the company's lupus drug candidate Benlysta. ZymoGenetics, a partner on the lupus drug Atacicept and Immunomedics, which also has a lupus drug, have both seen their stock rise. Report

Manufacturing News

> Takeda's first manufacturing facility outside of Japan, an API plant, has opened in Dublin, thanks in part to the efforts of investment promotion agency IDA Ireland and the South Dublin County Council. Report

> SAFC, which we reported last week had a manufacturing suite in its St. Louis facility certified in the safe handling of potent APIs, has entered the molecular diagnostics market by providing regulatory-compliant and custom-manufactured raw materials. Report

> More woes for Caraco, the generic drug maker whose recent FDA visits led to the seizure of more than 30 medications and drug ingredients for violations of good manufacturing practices: It is now the target of the profession known for its use of the ampersand in company names. Report

> API maker Hovione, following a successful FDA pre-approval inspection of its manufacturing plant in Macau, near Hong Kong, notes that "the FDA is looking in far greater detail to aspects like Quality by Design and supply chain management." Report

And Finally... Countries are casting about for ways to slow the spread of swine flu until a vaccine is ready. Report