Lucentis works fast against retinal defect; Germans don't need more Novartis flu shots;

> The optical drug Lucentis proved effective in two late-stage studies in improving the vision of patients with retinal vein occlusion as early as the seventh day of treatment, Genentech said. Report

> German states do not need to order more swine flu vaccinations from Swiss drugmaker Novartis as they originally had planned, a German state health official said. Report

> FDA Transparency Task Force is soliciting suggestions on ways the agency can publicize its activities and decisions in useful and accessible ways. FDA release

> A new compound can quickly counteract the action of an emerging class of blood thinners, offering a way to reverse the drugs' actions if a patient develops serious side effects. Report

> Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories closed a deal to buy several Forest Laboratories products as part of a previously disclosed settlement agreement. Report

Biotech News

> The EU today gave AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb the green light to start marketing their blockbuster diabetes drug Onglyza, laying the stage for a head-to-head battle with Merck's Januvia for market supremacy. Report

> The struggling Durham, NC-based Trimeris is being snapped up by South Korea's Arigene for $81 million in cash. Both boards have approved the deal. Report

> Theraclone Sciences has struck a development deal worth up to $18 million with Japan's Zenyaku Kogyo. Item

> Shares of Seattle Genetics skidded down 20 percent this morning after the developer announced that it is shelving a Phase IIb trial for its experimental lymphoma drug after a group of independent data monitors concluded that the trial was poised to fail. Report

> Shares of Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (PPHM) shot up 14 percent after the biotech reported that its monoclonal antibody bavituximab in combination with chemo significantly improved the progression-free-survival rate of non-small cell lung cancer patients in a mid-stage trial. Report

> How well paid are biotech employees? Report

Biotech IT News

> Trial enrollment solution StudyOptimizer is now available as software as a service. DecisionView says it will offer hosting, implementation, and support on a pay-as-you-go basis, available for individual trials. Report

> Federal funding is furthering research in two areas: DNA sequencing and proteomics. Report

> Data- and image-management service provider M2S is working with Pervasive Software (PVSW) to improve the Clinical Data Pathways product. Report

> Phase Forward's Clintrial has emerged victorious from a competitive product review by Budapest-based generics giant Gedeon Richter. Article

> Nextrials has unveiled version 3.0 of the Prism platform for electronic data capture and clinical trial management. Report

And Finally... Scientists have developed micrometer-sized capsules to safely deliver drugs inside living cells. Report