Pfizer to shutter Irish plant; U.K. gives nod to OTC antibiotic;

> Failing to find a buyer for a plant in Cork, Ireland, Pfizer will shut down the facility and lay off 180 workers there. Pfizer report

> Novo Nordisk's push to explore new therapeutic areas has brought it to Seattle, WA, where the Danish company plans to open a research center. Report

> U.K. regulators approved an over-the-counter version of an Actavis antibiotic used to treat the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia. Report

> Dr. Reddy's Laboratories got final FDA approval to sell its generic version of the Merck osteoporosis drug Fosamax. Report

> Questcor announced that George Stuart will be moving from his position as senior vice president of finance and CFO once a successor is found. Report

> Novo Nordisk's first-half net profit fell 13 percent to 4.65 billion Danish kroner ($964 million) but sales increased by 7 percent to 21.7 billion kroner. Report

> Shares of BioMarin Pharmaceuticals plunged Wednesday after it posted disappointing sales from its newest genetic disorder drug, Kuvan, despite a better-than-expected second-quarter performance overall. Report

> Mylan swung to a loss after buying the generics unit of Merck KGaA, although the acquisition allowed Mylan to more than double its second-quarter revenue. Report

> Watson Pharmaceuticals posted net income of $60.3 million or $0.53 per share for the second quarter, compared to $36.4 million or $0.33 per share in the same quarter of last year. Report

> King Pharmaceutical's second-quarter profit fell to $43 million, or 18 cents a share, from $65 million, or 26 cents a share in the year-ago quarter. Report

> Shire said its chairman Matthew Emmens exercised options over 37,222 shares at various prices and retains all the shares resulting from the exercise. Report

> Royal Melbourne Hospital unveiled a new web-based system designed to minimise inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions and track drug usage trends across the country, aiming to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-resistant germs. Report

> Long-term treatment with anti-HIV drugs doesn't increase the risk of hardened arteries, and may even offer some protection against the disease. Release

> The Medicines Company is buying Curacyte subsidiary Curacyte Discovery for €14.5 million up front. Curacyte Discovery is developing a serine protease inhibitor in the area of hemostasis and anti-coagulation. Curacyte report

> Researchers for Dynavax and Merck say that a late-stage trial of their hepatitis B vaccine Heplisav hit the endpoint they were aiming at: non-inferior antibody response compared to GlaxoSmithKline's Engerix-B. Report

> The FDA has come up with a lineup of three all-new flu strains for this year's vaccine recipe. Report

> Federal officials believe that Senator Tom Daschle's objections to the anthrax vaccine angered researcher Bruce Ivins, leading to the anthrax attacks. Report

And Finally... Exercise doesn't appear to relieve anxiety and depression, according to a new study. Report