> The U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued a "final guidance" accepting Pfizer's Sutent as a first-line treatment for kidney cancer. Report
> Fish caught near wastewater treatment plants serving five major U.S. cities had residues of pharmaceuticals in them, including medicines used to treat high cholesterol, allergies, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder and depression. Report
> Mylan submitted for FDA approval its versions of Sepracor's sleep aid Lunesta, Genentech's lung cancer med Tarceva, Shire's kidney drug Fosrenol, and Galderma's rosacea drug Oracea; all four companies have in turn sued Mylan for patent infringement. Report
> A consignment of medicines en route to Nigeria from India, sent by Aurobindo Pharma under the Clinton Foundation initiative, has been stopped by the Dutch authorities citing breach of intellectual property rights. Report
> Wyeth's Prevenar vaccine has been added to Saudi Arabia's national childhood immunization program to help protect infants and young children from pneumococcal disease. Report
> Endo Pharmaceuticals announced it has successfully completed its tender offer for Indevus Pharmaceuticals. Report
> San Diego-based Ligand Pharmaceuticals had plenty to cheer about after European regulators approved Pfizer's application to sell Fablyn to women with weak bones. Report
> Waltham, MA-based Oscient Pharmaceuticals says its auditors have issued a going-concern notice to the company after noting that it may run out of cash. Oscient report
> Emeryville, CA-based NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has forged a development pact with Galderma that will be worth up to $50 million in milestone payments. NovaBay report
> Cambridge, MA-based Alnara Pharmaceuticals announced that it bought the exclusive worldwide rights to liprotamase (Trizytek), from Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics. Report
> Two new studies to be published in the April 1 issue of Journal of Infectious Diseases say Merck's quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil, appears to protect against viral strains not included in the vax. This is especially the case for women not exposed to the virus before vaccination, American Medical News reports. Report
> Health officials in the Ukraine say that unjustified fears about the potential side effects associated with vaccines has caused hundreds of thousands of people to decide against guarding themselves from a slate of diseases. And now they'll have to incinerate large quantities of vaccines as physicians warn of possible epidemics. Report
> Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have begun testing a vaccine that they believe could prevent colon cancer in people at high risk for developing the disease. Report
> The Pharma Tech Blog has complied a list of what it considers to be the top 50 pharmaceutical news and research blogs. List
And Finally... Many infants in poor and middle-income countries get their vaccines weeks later than doctors recommend and therefore face increased risks of sickness and death. Report