> GlaxoSmithKline is on track to reap the biggest H1N1 swine flu windfall among major drugmakers, according to latest information from companies. Report
> Sanofi-Aventis asked a U.S. federal court to block Novartis' generics unit Sandoz from selling a copycat version of its Taxotere cancer drug. Report
> Impax Laboratories confirmed that it is challenging the patents on Abbott Laboratories' cholesterol drug TriCor, and that Abbott is suing Impax for patent infringement. Report
> Mylan Pharmaceuticals filed a defamation lawsuit against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, accusing the newspaper of mischaracterizing the drug maker's actions. Report
> Shire's efforts to shift focus to its portfolio of new drugs from its former hyperactivity blockbuster Adderall XR have paid off with third-quarter revenue that beat analysts' expectations. Report
> Ranbaxy Laboratories, India's largest pharma company, has sold its Vietnam business and is also looking to divest another. Report
> Valeant Pharmaceuticals agreed to buy the rights to several prescription and cosmetic dermatology products from a privately-held, Polish specialty pharmaceutical company for $18 million. Release
> Independent health advisers begin monitoring safety of the swine flu vaccine, an extra step the government promised in this year's unprecedented program to watch for possible side effects. Report
> U.K. women who have had a fracture are not getting treatment to prevent them having future bone breaks, a Cambridge University study suggests. Report
Biotech News
> Israel's Protalix BioTherapeutics (PLX) has seen its shares skyrocket 415 percent this year. And its success developing a new Gaucher disease therapy appears to have attracted some intense interest from Pfizer. Article
> Shares of GTx (GTXI) tumbled 34 percent in premarket trading as investors digested the sour news that the FDA is demanding data from a second late-stage trial of its bone loss drug before it makes a final ruling. Report
> The early-stage German biotech Probiodrug won an impressive $54 million in fresh venture capital backing in one of the largest biotech rounds reported this year. Report
> There's a new entry in the closely-watched race to win approval for a blockbuster new weight loss drug. Amylin Pharmaceuticals announced this morning that it struck a billion-dollar development deal with Takeda for new obesity therapies that may rival the late-stage programs pushed by Vivus, Arena Pharmaceuticals and Orexigen. Article
> Human Genome Sciences and its partner GlaxoSmithKline revealed that the high dose of their experimental lupus therapy demonstrated a statistically superior response compared to placebo in a second late-stage trial, laying the groundwork for an FDA marketing application. Article
IT News
> As IBM prepares to unveil a mashup service and the latest edition of its Mashup Center software, Pfizer is revealing more about its use of the IT-staff-relieving, business-unit empowering technology. Article
> Researchers are using high-throughput sequencing technology in high-resolution human leukocyte antigen genotyping. Report
> Eye-care company Bausch & Lomb will implement Phase Forward's InForm electronic data capture solution and Allergan has also signed on with the integrated data management solution supplier. Report
> Clinical Financial Services, which offers payment and contract management services that support both CROs and sponsors, is using the iBOLT Business Integration Suite from Magic Software with its own SaaS-based ePayment solution. Item
> Contract researcher Omnicare Clinical Research has attained the Rave Accredited Plus level in Medidata's ASPire to Win program. Report
And Finally... Potential curbs on pharma advertising could mean trouble for one of the magazine business' most dependable revenue categories. Report