> The high cost of hep C drugs is threatening prison healthcare budgets and putting the meds out of reach for inmates. More
> U.K. cost watchdog NICE rejected Takeda's Crohn's disease drug Entyvio in initial guidance, citing uncertain evidence and cost-effectiveness concerns. Story
> NICE decided not to recommend ovarian cancer drugs made by Eli Lilly ($LLY), GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) and PharmaMar, but greenlighted Janssen's related product in final draft guidance. More
> South Africa selected four pharma companies, including Aspen Pharmacare and Cipla, to make and supply HIV/AIDS drugs to public hospitals as part of a new, $860 million push to address the growing epidemic. Story
> Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Ariad Pharma inked a deal to commercialize Ariad's leukemia drug, Iclusig, in Japan. More
> U.S. drugmaker Hospira ($HSP) is recalling 10 lots of the injected multiple sclerosis drug mitoxantrone from 8 countries including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Saudi Arabia because it is subpotent and has high levels of impurities. Release
And Finally… Researchers uncovered the mysterious microbe that led to the death of a Kansas farmer last summer, naming it the "Bourbon virus" for the county where the patient lived. Story (sub. req.)