Gilead nabs 'breakthrough' tag for hep C combo; IMS Health, investors snag $1.3B in IPO

@FiercePharma: Top-read story this weekend: Novartis fighting two-pronged legal battle in India on Galvus patent. Story | Follow @FiercePharma

@TracyStaton: FiercePharma's best-read marketing story: Sanofi aims for outcomes with new Chief Patient Officer. Article | Follow @TracyStaton

@EricPFierce: Daiichi Sankyo hinted months ago it was tired of Ranbaxy's issues. Buyout means Sun Pharma takes them on. More | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: Novartis meningitis B vaccine Bexsero receives FDA breakthrough therapy designation in the U.S. Release | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Gilead Sciences ($GILD) won a "breakthrough" designation from the FDA for its hepatitis C combo pill, putting it in line for U.S. approval by October 10. Report

> IMS Health Holdings ($IMS) priced its initial public offering at $20 per share to raise $1.3 billion. Report (sub. req.)

> Roche ($RHHBY) snapped up a medical testing equipment maker, IQuum, for up to $450 million. Report

> GlaxoSmithKline's ($GSK) Asia unit pulled its over-the-counter painkiller Crocin Advance after Indian officials ordered it to stop selling the drug because it was overcharging for it. Report

> Specialty pharmacy Diplomat signed up with Celgene ($CELG) to distribute the company's brand new psoriatic arthritis treatment Otezla in the U.S. Report

> A U.S. judge sentenced a South Florida "pill mill" doctor to more than 6 years in prison for money-laundering, in a case related to thousands of painkiller prescriptions she wrote. Report

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: CyVek immunoassay technology gets $10M investment. Story | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: ICYMI: After a successful IPO, LDR looks to raise more cash. News | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@MichaelGFierce: DNA nanorobot delivers drugs through flap that opens and closes. More from FierceDrugDelivery | Follow @MichaelGFierce

@EmilyWFierce: Motorized, sensor-driven wheelchair could provide a new level of mobility for those with severe disabilities. Article | Follow @EmilyWFierce

> Edwards Lifesciences wins CE mark for aortic valve system. More

> Roche snags diagnostics outfit IQuum in $450M deal. Story

> Medtronic buys out a distributor as it cozies up to Turkey. News

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Little Deciphera raises its cancer R&D flag in Boston's bustling biotech hub. More | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Agios shares spike on enthusiastic response to small, early-stage leukemia study. Story | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: Here's FierceBiotech's look at every drug developer IPO from the first quarter. Report | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: 40% of the world's population is at risk from dengue. More in WHO's report for World Health Day. Report | Follow @EmilyMFierce

CRO News

> Clinipace signs up to get a brain-stimulating device on the U.S. market. Article

> WuXi bets on anti-counterfeiting tech with an eye on drug safety. More

> Actavis picks Particle Sciences for generics development. Story

> AMRI expects its $41M Cedarburg deal to pay off right away. News

> Evotec lands two more deals to share risks and rewards of R&D. Report

> Charles River wraps up $179M deal for Galapagos' CRO biz. Item

Biotech IT News

> Merck KGaA and Pfizer tap into Broad Institute's data skills for lupus project. Story

> Tufts survey shows social media still on fringes of clinical trials. More

> Billionaire-backed startup puts Big Data, AI at the heart of drug discovery. News

> Merck vaccine plant taps R&D's Big Data platform to solve yield conundrum. Article

> IMS Health stock jumps after second biggest U.S. IPO of 2014. Item

> Europe to create public clinical trial results database after passing law. Report

And Finally... Most states are secretive about their execution drugs, a policy that's under increasing legal attack. Report