> Novartis said its new smoker's cough treatment Onbrez has received approval to be sold in the European Union, marking an important milestone in the development of the Swiss drugmaker's respiratory franchise. Novartis Release
> Shire settled a lawsuit with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries over a supply contract for generic versions of Shire's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug Adderall XR. Report
> Two swine flu patients in Maryland and one in Virginia were hospitalized with a form of the virus resistant to Roche's Tamiflu, prompting infectious disease specialists to call for renewed caution. Report
> FDA approved Dyax's Kalbitor to treat sudden and potentially life-threatening fluid buildup that can occur in people with hereditary angioedema. FDA Release
> The $5 billion U.S. diabetes market just got a little more competitive: Roche said a clinical study showed its late-stage, once-weekly drug works better than Merck's daily Januvia. Report
Biotech News
> Shares of Endo Pharmaceuticals (ENDP) slid this morning after investors got wind of the news that the FDA stiff-armed the company's application to market its new drug for low testosterone. Low testosterone is associated with a variety of ailments, including fatigue and loss of libido. Report
> Cubist Pharmaceuticals slammed the brakes on enrollment for two mid-stage studies of ecallantide after the safety monitoring board noted a higher death rate among patients taking a high dose of the therapy to reduce bleeding during on-pump cardiac surgery. Report
> Backed up with some impressive mid-stage data, Targacept has inked a $1.24 billion licensing deal with AstraZeneca for its promising new depression therapy. Report
> Life science CEOs made an average base salary of $273,000, up 3.2 percent from 2008 levels. That's according to the 10th annual Compensation and Entrepreneurship study, released by J. Robert Scott and Ernst & Young. Report
> Vertex Pharmaceuticals has scooped up $442.8 million from a secondary stock offering as it fattens its cash reserves ahead of the expected launch of telaprevir for hepatitis C. Some of the money is also earmarked for the development of VX-770 drug for cystic fibrosis. Report
Vaccine News
> Novavax reported a pair of key milestones this week in its quest to introduce a new vaccine technology to the world. Report
> Researchers have now had a chance to track the experiences of a large group of girls in New Mexico who had been injected with the Cervarix HPV vaccine more than six years ago. And they say that the vaccine continues to protect them from cervical cancer with no indication yet that a booster shot is needed. Report
> The swine flu pandemic is likely to have a long-term impact on the U.S. government's strategy for dealing with outbreaks. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is vowing to make sure that the next pandemic will be fought with vaccines that can be produced in vast quantities far faster than we've seen this year. Report
> Xconomy has an interesting Q&A with Andrin Oswald, Novartis' chief of vaccines and diagnostics. Oswald explains that the vaccines division swelled by 1,000 people over the summer as the pharma giant added to its manufacturing staff to meet the sudden spike in flu vaccine demand. Report
Special Report: The 2009 Biotech Graveyard
And Finally... Eleven major journalism organizations want the FDA to stop requiring journalists and FDA employees to notify an agency official before interviews. Report