House passes new user-fee bill; UCB snaps up majority stake in Brazil's Meizler;

@FiercePharma: Icahn's back after Forest Labs, plans to nominate board candidates, including crony Eric Ende--BW. News | Follow @FiercePharma

> The U.S. House passed the FDA user-fee bill, which revamps device approvals and aims to speed up drug approvals, putting it in line for reconciliation with the Senate version. News

> Belgium's UCB has nabbed a majority stake in Brazil's Meizler Biopharma to expand its penetration in emerging markets, with an option to buy the rest of the company later. Report

> Pfizer ($PFE) prevailed in another liability lawsuit over its hormone therapy Prempro; a jury found that the company's Wyeth unit properly warned patients about the risks of the drug. Story

> Valeant Pharmaceuticals ($VRX) CEO Michael Pearson says he's aiming to grow the company in emerging and niche markets that Big Pharma isn't focusing on. Report

> Former Merck Serono CEO Elmar Schnee is joining the board of Swiss tech firm Anecova. Item

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: NIH group to award up to $20B in IT contracts. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Lilly still building its data on Livalo (statin) compared to Pravachol. Are they making any sales yet? Tough biz. Release | Follow @JohnCFierce

@RyanMFierce: After Stiefel/GSK deal, Canadian biotech Welichem's shares slide 18.75%, or CAD 9 cents. More | Follow @RyanMFierce

> Sanofi R&D chief spotlights diabetes strategy amid Amylin bid buzz. Story

> Chelsea scuttles rheumatoid arthritis drug after PhII failure, shares dive. Article

> House stamps approval on fast-track approach to drug development. More

Medical Devices News

@FierceMedDev: An ex-Spectranetics CEO gets a year's probation for lying to the feds. Story | Follow @FierceMedDev

@MarkHFierce: Could the VA's plan to streamline spending on prosthetics hurt device companies? Article | Follow @MarkHFierce

> Affymetrix, Leica to launch automated Dx/Rx research tool. More

> VA looks to streamline prosthetic spending. Story

> U.S. House passes $6.4 billion user fee reauthorization bill. Report

> GE Healthcare moves to develop lung cancer Dx. News

CRO News

 @NesaNFierce: Frazier Healthcare will buy Catalent's Philly and Woodstock, IL, commercial packaging ops, but both parties are mum on the deal's cost. More | Follow @NesaNFierce

> Creditors file $80M bid for financially strapped Cetero. Article

> New CRO Agility Clinical to focus on pediatric and orphan diseases. Story

> CMO revenue expected to double in Europe in 6 years. Item

> Covance, Bayer Healthcare enter strategic R&D partnership. News

Pharma Manufacturing News

> Another Indian drugmaker expanding in Nigeria. Item

> Fake Adderall surfaces as Congress turns attention to track and trace. More

> China's Biostar says it has replaced 5M tainted capsules. News

> FDA spanks J&J McNeil plant over complaint failures. Article

Vaccines News

> Bionor's new HIV vaccine moves into clinical trials. News

> Oral TB vax could cut treatment time. More

> Making safer and better shots. Story

> Merck's RotaTeq will be saving lives in Rwanda. Item

And Finally... Bariatric surgery may fight diabetes in other ways besides promoting weight loss. Article