@FiercePharma: J&J defends executive pay to institutional investors. News | Follow @FiercePharma
> The FDA issued four warning letters to companies that market over-the-counter drug products, including hand sanitizers, that claim to prevent infection from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA). FDA release
> Roche's Genentech unit has sued Sandoz for planning to sell a generic version of Valcyte, which treats a virus that afflicts transplant patients and people with AIDS, before Genentech's patent expires. News
> Watson Pharmaceuticals is challenging Daiichi Sankyo's patent on the cholesterol drug Welchol to clear the way for a sale of a generic version. Story
> The Obama administration urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that challenged a decision to allow unapproved drugs to be imported for use in executions of death row inmates. Item
> Eisai's sea sponge-derived breast cancer drug Halaven has been launched in the UK following approval from European regulators a month ago. Article
> The new owner of Genzyme's former genetics testing business plans to eliminate 169 jobs at its Westborough site this year and next, according to a memo circulated last week. Report
> Mylan has started selling a generic version of the Novartis antiviral drug Famvir. News
> Covidien reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by strong demand for its medical devices, while pharma sells fell by four percent to $490 million. Item
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: Sangart raises $50M to fund critical Ph2b ischemia study. Report | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: Janssen dumps antibiotic pact as it shifts out of the field, focuses on vaccines. Report | Follow @JohnCFierce
> Dissidents say Actelion battle will hinge on institutional investors. Story
> Valeant offers a stick, a carrot and a May 12 deadline to Cephalon investors. Article
> VC report: Rounds get fatter as the number of deals shrinks. News
Vaccines News
> NanoBio pursues nasal vaccine to prevent UTIs. Report
> Report: GlaxoSmithKline in talks to buy India vaccine unit. Item
> Novavax gets a new CEO. News
> Inovio, Transgene and ChronTech enter HepC pact. Article
> Aduro licenses BioSante cancer vaccines. Story
Manufacturing News
> Hamburg pushes science, enforcement in FDA strategy. News
> J&J quantifies manufacturing woes in financials. Article
> Pfizer plant prepped before demolition to contain killer API. Item
> FDA director offers QbD insight. Story
> Reddy: Process expertise, luck drove success. News
> U.S. plants fall to GSK strategy shift. Article
And Finally... Small doses of aspirin can lower the risk of heart attacks in people who never had heart disease, but the blood-thinning drug doesn't appear to cut the chances of strokes or dying from the disease. Report