> Sanofi-Aventis's (SNY) new heart drug Multaq has been given a green light by experts at the European Medicines Agency, clearing its path to market. Report
> Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) got the FDA nod for its new treatment for psoriasis, called Stelara, for patients 18 years or older with moderate to severe psoriasis. Report
> AstraZeneca (AZN) said Monday the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the summary judgment decision of no inequitable conduct in patent litigation involving Seroquel tablets. Report
> The European Medicines Agency recommended approval of a more protective form of Wyeth's (WYE) blockbuster Prevnar vaccine, which is sold as Prevenar in Europe. Report
> A proposed amendment to the Senate Finance Committee's healthcare reform bill would require pharmacy benefits managers to disclose more information about deals with drugmakers. Report
> FDA officials are looking into whether patients with a certain bone marrow disorder are more at risk for death and serious complications with Novartis's (NVS) drug Exjade. Report
> Tamiflu can be given to babies less than six months of age during the current swine flu pandemic, Europe's medicines watchdog said. Report
Biotech News
> ZymoGenetics (ZGEN) announced that Merck Serono has decided to suspend clinical trials of the drug as a treatment for multiple sclerosis after an independent data monitoring committee picked up an increase in disease activity in the treatment arm. Report
> The fast-growing Almac Group has mapped out a big expansion of its R&D and biopharma manufacturing operations in Northern Ireland which is expected to create up to 500 new jobs over the next five years. And many of those jobs are slated for new college graduates from around the world. Report
> Savient Pharmaceuticals (SVNT) today announced plans to reduce costs by slashing its headcount by 38 percent--or 26 jobs--as it prepares to resubmit its BLA for investigational gout drug Krystexxa. Report
Biotech IT News
> When is a clinical trial management system not a CTMS? When it's clinical trial operations (CTO) software for planning, forecasting, outsourcing and project tracking. And it harmonizes operations across clinical planning, outsourcing, finance and outside stakeholders. ClearTrial is unveiling such a system today, version 3.0 of its CTO software. Exclusive report
> United BioSource has acquired drug safety software maker Gigamoto Technology Partners. The acquisition, says UBC, is part of a strategy to build integrated capabilities in risk management and drug safety. Report
> More than half of new clinical trials are expected to use electronic data capture technology this year, says Martin Young, VP for corporate development at Phase Forward (PFWD). Report
> Clinical researcher Health Decisions has rolled out Monitor View, an add-on to its recently launched HD360Ëš trial management platform. The new module supports proactive management by clinical trial monitors. Report
And Finally... Andrew Sullivan points out research suggesting that increased use of psychiatric drugs is responsible for 12 percent of a recent drop in crime. Report