GSK inks $3.25B development pact with Actelion; Perrigo to add 400 jobs at Michigan HQ

> GlaxoSmithKline has partnered with Actelion in a whopping 3.3 billion Swiss franc pact ($3.25 billion) covering a new insomnia therapy now in late-stage studies. GSK report

> Perrigo plans a $10.5 million expansion at its Allegan, Mich., campus, which will add 99 new jobs this year and some 400 over five years. Report

> A federal judge ordered a trial of plaintiffs claims that Abbott Laboratories spun off Hospira in April 2004 to deprive employees of pension and retiree health benefits and then lied to its employees about it. Release

> Roche received the harshest possible reprimand from the U.K. pharma association for bringing “discredit upon the pharmaceutical industry” over the way it sold its weight-loss drug Xenical to private slimming clinics. Report

> After more than a decade at Merck, Chief Marketing Exec Wendy Yarno is retiring, according to an email announcement sent to employees yesterday morning. Report

> Health Canada's uneven enforcement of its ban on direct-to-consumer drug advertising may strengthen the hand of media companies fighting in court to have it overturned, the Canadian Medical Association Journal said. Report

> Schering-Plough was upgraded to overweight from equal-weight by Lehman Brothers, with the broker lifting its price target to $27 from $22. Report

> Perrigo appointed Ellen Hoffing, president and CEO of Applied NeuroSolutions, to its board of directors. Report

> In another big blow to the AIDS research field, pharma giant Roche is dumping its R&D work in the field. AIDS report

> Amgen is publishing positive data today for its closely watched Phase III trial of denosumab for the treatment of bone loss in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for non-metastatic prostate cancer. Denosumab report

> Neurogen has suspended dosing in a Phase II/III trial of its insomnia drug adipiplon after registering next day side effects. Report

> Pacific Biosciences has gained $100 million in venture funds to accelerate its work on new technology that will permit gene sequencing virtually on demand. Report

And Finally... Johnson & Johnson has hit the next internet wave with a new health channel on YouTube. Report