> Cephalon has filed a patent-infringement lawsuit to block a Novartis unit from selling a generic version of the narcolepsy drug Nuvigil. Report
> Merck's U.K. business has unveiled its new leadership team, following last year's merger with Schering-Plough. Report
> Abbott Laboratories has sued Teva Pharmaceutical Industries over an alleged patent violation on its Simcor cholesterol med. Report
> Amgen posted a 1 percent increase in fourth-quarter profits, with sales of its anemia drugs holding steady overall. Report
> Perrigo, a maker of prescription drugs and store-brand medications, hit a 52-week high last week and is likely to outperform benchmarks in 2010, The Street forecasts. Report
> Sanofi-Aventis says it has obtained U.S. antitrust clearance for its purchase of Chattem. Report
Biotech News
> The CEO of Belgium's Galapagos says that the biotech company is planning an important strategic shift, risking its money on solo drug development projects focused on rare diseases. Story
> Jupiter, FL-based Envoy Therapeutics says it has struck a multi-year research collaboration deal with an affiliate of Merck to discover novel diabetes and obesity drug targets. Report
> Over the past few years resveratrol has emerged as one of the most closely-tracked development programs in biotechnology. But now a team of scientists at Pfizer has published new research that Forbes writer Matthew Herper claims casts considerable doubts on resveratrol's potential. Story
> Shares of Dynavax Technologies spiked 30 percent this morning after the developer announced that two early stage trials of its experimental hepatitis C drug SD-101 showed the therapy appeared safe as it spurred anti-viral activity. Report
> After an exhaustive 21-month review, the FDA has extended its approval for the blockbuster new type 2 diabetes drug Victoza (liraglutide). Story
Biotech Research News
> The Burnham Institute for Medical Research has a big new supporter and a new name. South Dakota philanthropist T. Denny Sanford is giving the institute $50 million. Item
> John Tierney at the New York Times writes that the fierce debate over the corrupting influence of corporate money in scientific research has become a fetish that is pushing some of the country's top researchers to stop accepting any support from drug companies. Story
> A group of engineers at the University of Florida used technology employed to mass manufacture cell phones and other devices to make a small sensor that could be used to monitor a person's health, flagging changes in glucose levels or checking for signs of breast cancer. Report
> Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have developed a new method to harvest a rich source of endothelial cells which could then be used to create new blood vessels or help regenerate organs damaged by a heart attack or stroke. Item
> Boston-area researchers have discovered the reason why some breast cancer patients respond to normal chemotherapy but others do not. Story
> A team of scientists drawn from the University of Central Florida and Louisiana State University has identified the mechanics at work during a stroke that causes cell death and spurs severe brain damage. Report
> A Stanford team has identified a key protein that could herald a new class of hepatitis C drugs. And the lead author of the study says that a new therapy could be in the clinic in as a little as 18 months. Story
And Finally... Controlling blood pressure just might be the best protection yet against dementia. Report