@FiercePharma: On 2nd thought: U.K. cost agency backs Novartis asthma drug Xolair. New discount, new analyses, NICE says. More | Follow @FiercePharma
@EricPFierce: Impax handed a 12-page Form 483 for a California plant by FDA. Plant must get OK before FDA will consider Impax NDA. Story | Follow @EricPFierce
> Fresh off an FDA approval for their once-monthly version of the antipsychotic Abilify, Lundbeck and Otsuka expanded their partnership to cover other Abilify formulations. Report
> South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare posted a 17% increase in half-year profits, on top of a 20% increase in sales to almost $1 billion. Report
> Brazilian drugmaker Hypermarcas doubled net income year-over-year as its pharma-growth plans paid off. Report
> Roche's ($RHHBY) Rituxan trounced a rare skin condition in a small trial, suggesting a new use for the cancer and arthritis treatment. Report
> A Venezuelan drugmaker is moving to Florida to escape the country's political and economic crises, local officials said. Report
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: Aastrom lands a new CEO in a game of musical biotech chairs. News | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: I'd be willing to bet that Perlmutter has a couple of billion-dollar deals--like BioVex/Micromet--up his sleeves. Merck needs PhIII assets. | Follow @JohnCFierce
@RyanMFierce: I wonder whether Perlmutter will keep plugging away at CETP and other questionable Merck programs. | Follow @RyanMFierce
> Analysts track a spike in mid-cap biotechs' R&D spend. More
> GSK files diabetes drug in Europe in big regulatory offensive. News
> Ex-Amgen research czar Perlmutter to helm Merck's struggling R&D ops. Story
@FierceMedDev: DBS helped some anorexia patients eat more. Item | Follow @FierceMedDev
@MarkHFierce: Fierce 15 company Nevro just closed $48M in Series C financing. Yet ANOTHER robust device funding round. Release | Follow @MarkHFierce
@DamianFierce: Illumina, SynapDx ally to develop autism diagnostic tools. Article | Follow @DamianFierce
> Renal denervation: Medtronic reaches for broader patient population. Article
> On second thought, Boston Scientific will unveil all Watchman data. News
> Stomach cancer breath Dx performs well in human tests. More
Pharma Manufacturing News
> Merck to close plant in Ireland. News
> Teva manufacturing cuts may have to involve home turf. More
> Ajinomoto buying biologics CMO Althea. Report
Vaccines News
> Sequester cuts set to hit vaccines. Report
> Study pins cancer vaccine failures on self-sabotaging adjuvant. Story
> GSK lawsuit shows risks of vaccine outsourcing. More
> Novartis encouraged by typhoid vaccine progress. Article
And Finally... How data-mining web searches can flag drug side effects. Report | More