@FiercePharma: Study: Actos just as risky as Avandia. Article | Follow @FiercePharma
> Pharma M&A in Asia and the Pacific will increase this year, provided the world economy remains stable and regional governments push ahead with ongoing health-care reforms and regulatory policy reviews, Datamonitor Group said. News
> Five new drugs for rheumatoid arthritis have been given the thumbs up by NICE as second line treatments, including Roche's MabThera, Abbott's Humira and Merck's Remicade. Article
> Johnson and Johnson unit DePuy Orthopaedics, already in hot water with government regulators, issued a global recall Thursday of two hip aid systems after finding that more people than expected suffered pain which required additional surgery. Story
> Somaxon Pharmaceuticals cleared the path to get its lead insomnia drug Silenor in U.S. stores by signing a promotion deal with consumer products giant Procter & Gamble, sending its shares up as much as 63 percent. Article
> U.S.-based generics maker Alvogen is mulling the acquisition of a government stake in Bosnia's top drug firm Bosnalijek as a step to becoming a leading drug company in the region. Report
> Daiichi Sankyo-owned Ranbaxy Laboratories has settled its patent dispute with Roche for the latter's drug valganciclovir sold under the brand Valcyte. Item
> Baxter Healthcare, the Australian unit of Baxter International, must pay A$4.9 million ($4.3 million) in fines for misusing its market power in the sale of fluids used by kidney patients, a court ruled. Story
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: Inspire scuttles eye drug and pencils new deal with Allergan. Article | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: So Bloomberg reports that Sanofi is digging in around a $70 Genzyme bid. A pretty clear example of insiders pushing a deal thru leaks. Article | Follow @JohnCFierce
> Roche melanoma drug registers striking results. Report
> Under fire, Cypress pledges $33M to acquire CNS programs. Item
Vaccines News
> Feds earmark $2B for to upgrade vaccine tech. Report
> Will FDA reconsider hen vaccination program? News
> Antigenics shares gain on GSK's ambitious PhIII vax program. Item
> CDC: More teens getting their recommended shots. Article
> Bill Gates on vaccines: "Our investment is mind-blowing." Story
Manufacturing News
> Lilly, Pfizer announce manufacturing cuts. News
> Hyaluron contamination response earns FDA warning. Article
> Robotic IV compounding comes to UMass. Story
> J&J recalls 100K Acuvue contact lenses. Item
> Texas kicks in for vegan vaccine funding. Report
> FDA moves a step closer to executive prosecutions. Story
And Finally... A rare and dangerous reaction to a range of common medicines including antibiotics and anticonvulsants may be caused by a severe immune response to reactivated herpes virus, scientists said. Report