NICE shuns Herceptin for stomach cancer; Sanofi nabs $8.6B debt refinancing;

@FiercePharma: Roche cedes power, jobs to Genentech. Article | Follow @FiercePharma

> Britain's health cost watchdog rejected Roche's (ROG.VX) cancer drug Herceptin for patients with stomach cancer "due to the uncertainty surrounding the extent to which it can extend life." Report

> Shares of Allergan, Biogen Idec and Genzyme popped on Friday, fueled by market speculation that Sanofi-Aventis might be considering a takeover of one of the companies. Report

> Sanofi-Aventis is set to sign an increased €7 billion ($8.6 billion) refinancing loan after attracting strong appetite from banks, bankers said. Article

> Investors led by Blackstone are taking a "substantial" stake in China Animal Healthcare, a Singapore-listed maker drugs for livestock that is hoping to boost its animal vaccine business. Story

> Par Pharmaceutical (PRX.N) said U.S. health regulators have approved its drug to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients who are treated for cancer. Report

> Roche Holding (ROG.VX) cancer drug Avastin, in combination with chemotherapy, helps women with ovarian cancer live longer without their disease worsening, a second late-stage study has shown. Story

> The United Arab Emirates pharmaceutical market will reach a value of $1.59 billion this year, growing 14.9 percent from last year's total of $1.38 billion, say new forecasts. Article

> United Therapeutics and Lee's Pharmaceutical announced that they have entered into an exclusive agreement for the distribution of Remodulin (treprostinil) injection in China. Article

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Only the biggest developers can play the biosimilar game. Article | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: If I was master of the universe, I'd have Pfizer buy Genzyme, Sanofi buy Biogen and Merck buy Allergan. All announced on the same day. | Follow @JohnCFierce

> Adverse cardio effects derail testosterone gel study. News

> Nycomed wins EU approval for COPD therapy. Report

> Sanofi's rumored buyout plans inspire guessing game. Story

> Stem cell player moves to Mass. Article

Biotech Research News

> Roche, IBM team up on sequencing breakthrough. News

> New study points to compound's role in brain diseases. Story

> Researchers: Chemical injection can restore hearing. Report

 > Compugen protein "abolishes" relapses in MS animal study. Article

Biotech IT News

> CRO Accovion tailors Oracle safety database. Story

> Cleveland Clinic finds high Avandia cardio risk. Item

> Survey: Companies leery of social media, cloud/SaaS data security. Article 

Manufacturing News

> Pharma Associates taps Axway for EDI management. News

> Catalent ups supply chain visibility with social media model. Item

> Packaging contributes to approval for Sagent's heparin. Story

> Incineration of flu vax shows pandemic supply/demand challenge. Article

And Finally... Men taking drugs for sexual potency showed almost triple the rate of sexually transmitted diseases compared with those not taking the medications, a Harvard University study found. Report