Novartis to sell $5B in bonds for Alcon buy; Abbott to buy Facet Biotech;

@FiercePharma: Why is Ratiopharm suddenly so popular? Article |Follow @FiercePharma

> Swiss drugmaker Novartis announced a $5 billion bond issue to finance its purchase of eye-care company Alcon. Report

> Abbott Laboratories has agreed to buy Facet Biotech for $27 a share in cash, for a net $450 million, adding experimental medicines in cancer and immunology. Report

> Watson Pharmaceuticals has reached a settlement with Takeda Pharmaceutical to resolve patent litigation related to Watson's generic version of the diabetes drug Actos. Report

> The Massachusetts attorney general's office reached a $3.6 million settlement with Actavis Elizabeth, a generics firm that had been accused of falsely inflating prices to get higher Medicaid payments. Report

> FDA approved Allergan's Botox drug to treat spasticity in the flexor muscles of the elbow, wrist and fingers in adults. Release

> AstraZeneca filed a patent infringement complaint against India-based Sun Pharma for planning to market a generic formulation of its intravenous acid reflux disease treatment Nexium IV. Report

Oculus Innovative Sciences said its Microcyn Skin and Wound HydroGel was approved by FDA, sending its shares up 61 percent. Report

Biotech News

 @FierceBiotech: Who's the next biotech buyout target?  Report | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: My own contribution to solving Spain's financial crisis: I just bought a $25 burger. Viva la carne! Follow @JohnCFierce

> Biotech VCs, Big Pharma stepping outside the comfort zone. Story

> Eli Lilly, Amylin and Alkermes will be holding their collective breath this Friday when the FDA will reveal whether it will approve Byetta LAR, the long-acting form of the bestselling diabetes drug Byetta. Report

> Cytokinetics gets orphan drug status for ALS drug. Article

> Neuropharm mulls voluntary liquidation as it waits for deal. Item

> Novartis has put up $10 million and promised up to €700 million more in milestones in exchange for an option on Transgene's promising, late-stage cancer immunotherapy. Story

> In 9-3 vote, expert panel backs InterMune's pirfenidone. Item

And Finally... Researchers have found that papaya has a dramatic anticancer effect against a broad range of lab-grown tumors, including cancers of the cervix, breast, liver, lung and pancreas. Report