Otsuka announces record-setting pharma IPO; Dendreon shares leap on CMS assessment;

@FiercePharma: FDA blocks Claris imports on plant troubles. Report | Follow @FiercePharma 

> Japanese drugmaker Otsuka Holdings said it will sell about $2.8 billion worth of shares in December, the world's largest initial public offering in the pharmaceuticals sector. Article | Report

> Shares of biotech drugmaker Dendreon jumped after Medicare officials issued a mostly positive assessment of the company's prostate cancer therapy, setting the stage for the government to pay for thousands of patients to receive the drug. News

> Although no product was explicitly mentioned, the FDA's marketing watchdog found plenty to dislike about a white paper and other unbranded materials circulated by Tercica, a subsidiary of the Ipsen Group. Item

> Spanish pharmaceutical firm Grifols has bowed to a class-action suit filed by some shareholders of its bid target Talecris by improving the share component of the offer for its U.S. rival. Story

> Centocor Ortho Biotech, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, has asked the FDA to expand the use of the injectable drug Simponi in treating patients with active psoriatic arthritis. Article

> BASF, the world's biggest chemicals maker, can't be sued by a group of customers who claim they paid too much for vitamins during a price-fixing cartel in the 1990s, a U.K. appeals court ruled. Report

Biotech News

 @FierceBiotech:  Biotech IPOs struggling as one is pulled and another falls short. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: Ceregene gains $11.5M in venture cash for PH2b Parkinson's drug trial. Story | Follow @JohnCFierce

> OncoVista to sell AdnaGen unit for up to $65M. News

> Upcoming Benlysta decision sparks HGS buyout talk. Report 

> Novo Nordisk plans $100M expansion of Beijing R&D site. Item 

> Spencer board OKs buyout. Story 

> ESBATech spin-out Delenex rounds up $14M. Item  

And Finally... Does it matter if Europe's top medicines regulator is without an executive director for six months? Report