Sandy delays FDA approval of some drugs; India deep sixes another Roche patent;

@FiercePharma: ICYMI yesterday: Top 15 drug patent losses for 2013. The patent cliff isn't over. Report | Follow @FiercePharma

> The FDA said approvals of some drugs and devices would be delayed briefly because its offices were closed two days because of Superstorm Sandy. Story 

> Missouri patients who claim to have been harmed by Vioxx from Merck ($MRK) can get payments of $180 as part of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit there. Story

> Pfizer ($PFE) says it will buy back another $10 billion in shares when reporting its dismal third quarter earnings. Story 

> The FDA discovered bacteria in additional lots of an injected steroid and a heart drug made by New England Compounding Center, the pharmacy linked to meningitis outbreak that has killed 28 and sickened 386. Story 

> Amgen ($AMGN) says it hopes to have a new anti-cholesterol drug ready by 2015 when its blockbuster anemia drugs Aranesp and Epogen lose patent protection. Story 

Medical Device News

 @FierceMedDev: St. Jude announced it is cutting 500 more jobs in through its restructuring plan. 8-K | Follow @FierceMedDev

 @MarkHFierce: Taiwan wants to get on the medical device bandwagon and has plans to jumpstart its local industry. News | Follow @MarkHFierce

 @DamianFierce: Ex-Stryker CEO Stephen MacMillan has landed on his feet after the public breakup, taking the reins at sBioMed. More | Follow @DamianFierce

> Report: European Commission must speed up creation of tougher medical implant regs. Story

> Ex-Stryker CEO to head disinfectant firm. Item

> Investors punish Abiomed over Impella investigation news. Report

Biotech News

 @FierceBiotech: Roche, pharma slice and dice DNA data to exploit cancer weaknesses. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: Set some new traffic records for Fierce in Oct. 670K web visits, about a half million uniques, 1.6M page views. Biotech up to 104k subs. | Follow @JohnCFierce

 @RyanMFierce: Any idea what uniQure's gene therapy should cost? Here's our report on approval in EU. More | Follow @RyanMFierce

> U.K. public/private finance group pumps $300M into drug research. Story

> European Commission stamps approval on first gene therapy for rare disease. News

And Finally... In another intellectual property hit to Big Pharma, the Indian Patents Appeal Board has withdrawn the patent it provided Roche ($RHHBY) for its hepatitis c drug Pegasys, saying there is not enough proof that it is superior to existing treatments. Story