GSK taps recruiter for director search; Novartis unveils positive data on Ilaris;

 @FiercePharma. Bayer boosts liquid assets to weather euro crisis, including unpaid bills from Italy, Spain, Portugal. News | Follow @FiercePharma

> GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) has hired an executive search firm to identify two new non-executive directors to replace board members likely to retire next May, in a move that may be part of a broader push to rejuvenate the company's board. Report

> As Novartis ($NVS) announced positive data on its anti-inflammatory drug Ilaris, Barron's asks why investors appear to be overlooking the Swiss drugmaker, given its new products and pipeline candidates. News | Story

> Pozen Pharmaceuticals ($POZN) isn't happy with sales of its arthritis combo drug Vimovo, so it's working with marketing partner AstraZeneca ($AZN) to determine how to boost the numbers. Report

> India's Lupin challenged the government's maximum retail price fixed for several of its drugs as the country expands its price-controls program. Piece

> Gilead Sciences ($GILD) said new data showed its antiretroviral drug Viread suppressed the hepatitis B virus and reduced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with the disease. More

> AMAG Pharmaceuticals CEO Brian Pereira resigned as the company announced plans to cut one-quarter of its staff and consider putting itself on the block. News

> Sri Lanka is gathering data to implement a new pricing program that would set maximum retail prices on all medicines. Story

> AstraZeneca ($AZN) agreed to a $60 million cancer-drug supply partnership with the Algerian drugmaker Biopharm. Report

Biotech News

 @FierceBiotech: Sanofi sharpening budget ax in ongoing R&D restructuring effort. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: Nabi has now proved conclusively that NicVAX is worthless. Second PhIII data batch bad as the the first. Release | Follow @JohnCFierce

 @RyanMFierce: Speaking of Karate Kid, I think this was the FDA's crane kick in the face of its critics: Item | Follow @RyanMFierce

> NPS wraps another positive PhIII study as parathyroid drug impresses. News

> Sanofi sharpening budget ax in ongoing R&D restructuring effort. Article

> Ex-Genzyme CEO Termeer, GE back translational tech with $20M round. Story

Medical Devices News

> Could BD be ripe for pick-up? More

> Termeer participates in $20M round for NanoString. Piece

> IntraPace gets CE Mark for new abiliti lead. News

> J&J unit completes SterilMed buy. Story

Biotech IT News

> Pfizer to pay big bucks for scouring databases for trials subjects. Article

> Selventa and Linguamatics team on mining details in journals. Item

> Scientists building 'computer operating system' for synthetic biology. More

And Finally... A sixteenfold increase in reflux-drug scripts for infants is probably unnecessary, experts say. Item