Novartis gets FTC approval for GSK deal, with caveat; Merck puts pediatric HIV med in patent pool;

@FiercePharma: Baxter U.S. Selects Bannockburn, Ill., Facility as Location for Baxalta Global Headquarters. Release | Follow @FiercePharma

@CarlyHFierce: ICYMI: Canadian paper backpedals from Gardasil side effects story. Report | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Novartis ($NVS) has agreed to sell off BRAF and MEK assets it has under development for fighting melanoma to Array BioPharma in order to win FTC approval of its $16 billion deal to buy GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) oncology drugs. Story

> Merck ($MRK) has worked a deal with the Medicines Patent Pool to grant a license to any drugmaker that wants to make low-cost version of its pediatric HIV med raltegravir in any of 92 low- and middle-income countries. Report

> TWI will take back rights from Teva ($TEVA) to several generic drugs and assemble a U.S. team to sell them in the U.S. Release

> Italian regulators have approved Celgene's cancer drug Abraxane as a first-line treatment, in combo with gemcitabine, of adult patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Release

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: Medtronic works to boost neuromodulation with bladder control startup acquisition. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: The 10 largest med tech M&A deals announced in 2014. Feature | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@EmilyWFierce: Turning to Twitter, MD Anderson doc launches campaign against cancer drug prices. Story | Follow @EmilyWFierce

> J&J adds $420M to legal stockpile to resolve all-metal hip implant suits. News

> Biotronik says its investigational nitinol stent performed well in clinical trials. Report

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Novartis bags a surprise approval for the blood cancer-treating panobinostat. Article | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Top story yesterday: UPDATED: Bristol-Myers bags IDO immunotherapy in $1.25B buyout of fledgling Flexus. Article | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: MD Anderson has a Houston Rockets sponsorship called "Moon Shot of the Night," because why not. Video | Follow @DamianFierce

> Alkermes dumps its pain drug after a Phase I disappointment. Story

> Cebix hangs it up after raising $50M for diabetes drug. Article

> Shire's shopping spree continues with a buyout of rare disease biotech. Report

Biotech Research News

> MD Anderson team explores a combination approach against cancer metastasis. More

> Study: New antibody blocks dengue virus. Item

> UC San Diego group zeroes in on breaking a link between obesity and diabetes. Story

> Langer team offers up a hydrogel drug delivery vehicle at MIT. Report

> CRISPR project points to a new approach on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Article

Pharma Manufacturing News

> Sun Pharma recalls epilepsy drug as dissolution woes continue. News

> Mylan bags rights to distribute Gilead's Sovaldi in India. Item

> Lupin plant hit with Form 483 but continues to rack up approvals. Report

> McKesson outed as company behind 340,000-sq-ft distribution hub in Iowa. Story

> India turns to small manufacturers for state-run generic supply biz. Article

And Finally... The feds have wrapped probe into allegations of foreign bribery against Eli Lilly ($LLY) that date back two decades. Story