> Roche is planning to hold a European roadshow next week for a bond issue to help the Swiss drugmaker fund its planned buyout of Genentech, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the situation. Report
> California's Supreme Court refused to hear a case in which Wyeth was held liable for injuries suffered by a patient who took a generic version of the gastrointestinal drug Reglan, even though the patient never took the branded product. Report
> Cephalon said its fourth-quarter profit plunged on a series of restructuring and other charges, but the results still topped Wall Street forecasts; the company reported a 22 percent rise in revenues to $534.9 million. Report
> Pfizer Australia will axe its local clinical research division--along with its 54 employees there--as part of the company's global cost-cutting measures. Report
> Pfizer and other drugmakers have stepped up production of a nitroglycerin med that, until a recent recall, had been primarily supplied by troubled drug maker KV Pharmaceutical. Report
> Telik is joining the ranks of biotech survivalists. It's cutting 43 jobs and reorganizing its work to focus on its late-stage drug prospects. The 44 percent workforce reduction is eliminating jobs concentrated in early-stage research work. Report
> When Sanofi-Aventis' new CEO Chris Viehbacher (photo) took the center stage earlier this week to discuss his plans for small and mid-sized acquisitions, he also had a few comments to make on prospective cuts in the company's R&D ops. Report
> Osiris Therapeutics says its final set of two-year results from a trial for Prochymal, its cutting-edge adult stem cell therapy, met its primary endpoint on safety. Report
> Novartis has agreed to pay $75 million upfront and an additional $500 million in prospective milestones for the worldwide rights to Portola Pharmaceuticals' mid-stage anti-clotting therapeutic. Report
> Merck signaled its clear intent to get aggressive about the biosimilar business with this morning's announcement that the pharma giant is buying Insmed's portfolio of follow-on biologics for $130 million in cash. Report
> Investors swiftly wiped out 82 percent of La Jolla Pharmaceutical's stock value after learning that its lupus drug--Riquent--was being shelved after an interim analysis revealed negative late-stage results. Riquent is La Jolla's only clinical-stage drug in development. Report
And Finally... In a blow to the movement arguing that vaccines lead to autism, a special court ruled Thursday against three families seeking compensation from the federal vaccine-injury fund. Report