Merck's Keytruda prolongs NSCLC patients' lives in study; Endo nabs FDA OK for dissolving pain therapy, with warnings;

@FiercePharma: ICYMI from FiercePharmaAsia: Ranbaxy merger showing sharp cons as well as pros for Sun Pharma. Item | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: ICYMI from FiercePharmaManufacturing: Japan's says its mAb work with means a need for a $309M API plant expansion. Article | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: SOMEbody got burned out on grammar by slide 82 of the $VRX presentation. "Why does R&O and Philidor have the same phone number?" | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Merck & Co. ($MRK) touted top-line data showing that its immuno-oncology drug Keytruda helped certain patients with non-small-cell lung cancer live longer. Release

> Endo ($ENDP) and BioDelivery Sciences won FDA approval for a dissolvable pain treatment, Belbuca, but a side-effects warning could inhibit uptake. Report

> GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) won European backing to expand approval of Volibris, a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, to use in combination with other meds. Report

> Novartis' ($NVS) psoriasis med Cosentyx got a thumbs up from Europe's drug approval committee for new uses in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. Report

> Rare disease specialist Alexion Pharmaceuticals ($ALXN) nabbed an FDA clearance for Strensiq, which treats hypophosphatasia, a genetic disorder. Release | Report

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: Check out this year's Fierce 15: The new strategic med tech mania sets the stage for 2015's Fierce 15. Feature | Follow @FierceMedDev

@EmilyWFierce: ICYMI Friday: Kadcyla's miss in stomach cancer dents Roche's effort to reap more from new drugs. FiercePharma story | Follow @EmilyWFierce

> Healthcare, wellness drive Philips growth as it works to shed lighting, maintain cautious M&A strategy. Story

> Report: Buyer interest heating up for Swiss Dx company Unilabs. More

> Walgreens freezes partnership with Theranos amid testing fallout. Report

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: ICYMI: AstraZeneca's gout drug wins faint praise from FDA advisers. Article | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: ICYMI: Alexion wins priority review voucher with FDA OK of Strensiq. Report | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: This is an excellently reported /Philidor story that deserves a more alluring headline. Perhaps "One Weird Trick To Boost Drug Revenue," and then they could do like a quiz to "Find Your Philidor Alter-Ego" WSJ story | Follow @DamianFierce

> Endo and BDSI pick up FDA approval for a cheek-delivered pain drug. Story

> Vertex pays $105M to kick off gene editing pact with CRISPR Therapeutics. Article

> Key investor pushes for GSK breakup after pipeline fails to deliver. Report

Animal Health News

> Subway ups the ante on antibiotic-free meat pledge. More

> Lilly charts strong Q3 results bolstered by Novartis Animal Health addition. Item

> After downsizing and delaying IPO, Oasmia pulls off Nasdaq debut. Story

> New app offers remote veterinary visits for pet owners. Article

> Parnell shares advance on strong Q3 revenue growth. Report

Biotech IT News

> Big Pharma follows cash-strapped seniors onto the darknet. Story

> Silicon Valley's thrust into biotech sparks scramble for data scientists. Report

> J&J inks deal to access Nuevolution's informatics-enabled discovery platform. News

> Genentech deal continues big 2015 for in silico specialist Nimbus. Article

> Novartis, Qualcomm joint venture backs $6.5M Series A round for Science 37. More

Pharma Marketing News

> AbbVie faces the music with Express Scripts over FDA's Viekira Pak warning. Item

> J&J's Yondelis finally captures FDA nod, but path to big sales could be steep. More

> The eyes may have it, but pharma still needs convincing on branded visual comms. Report

> Sales reps need to bone up on tech skills as drug launches move digital. Story

> Biogen to put layoffs savings toward DTC, patient support for lagging Tecfidera. Article

And Finally... The British publisher Pearson tapped former Eli Lilly & Co. ($LLY) CEO Sidney Taurel as its new non-executive chairman. Report