Otsuka and Lundbeck are working to build on the foundation of now off-patent Abilify with their new antipsychotic drug, Rexulti. And they're hoping some smiling masks can help them do it. The masks take the spotlight in the pair's new DTC campaign for the drug, with somber actors holding them up in social and work situations; as they do, a voiceover explains that "unresolved symptoms" force some depression sufferers to put on a brave face while taking antidepressants. More from FiercePharmaMarketing
@FiercePharma: South Korea's Green Cross to supply Americas with flu vaccine in $32M deal. FierceVaccines item | Follow @FiercePharma
@EricPFierce: More biologics manufacturing capacity comes online in the U.S. FiercePharmaManufacturing article | Follow @EricPFierce
@CarlyHFierce: ICYMI yesterday: Amgen is eyeing heftier deals, but so are its biggest rivals. Story | Follow @CarlyHFierce
> Convicted killer Reginald Potts, Jr., was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend, Nailah Franklin, who had been an Eli Lilly & Co. ($LLY) sales rep. Report
> India's Lupin wrapped up its buyout of U.S.-based drugmakers Gavis Pharmaceuticals and Novel Laboratories. Report
> Keytruda patient Jimmy Carter's announcement last week that he is cancer-free sent social media abuzz about the Merck & Co. ($MRK) treatment. Report
> Drug-price cuts in China are taking a toll on Big Pharma's sales there, with the pharma market shrinking by 1% from October to November last year. Report
> Vertex ($VRTX) cystic fibrosis combo med Orkambi has won approval in Australia. Release
> Experts are puzzled over why tennis star Maria Sharapova was taking a banned heart drug, an old product that's sold in just a few Eastern European countries and can also boost exercise tolerance. Report
Medical Device News
@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: J&J's Ethicon to buy NeuWave for soft-tissue, microwave ablation for cancer. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev
@VarunSaxena2: Toyota developing wearable device to improve mobility for the blind. Report | Follow @VarunSaxena2
@EmilyWFierce: Duke University teams with NC State for new cancer drug development project in canines. FierceAnimalHealth story | Follow @EmilyWFierce
> BD forms $500M JV with private equity firm Apax to house ailing respiratory biz. Report
> Agilent to lay down $80M for large stake in sequencing company Lasergen. Story
> Canon in exclusive negotiations to acquire Toshiba Medical Systems, likely for around $6B. Article
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: Eyeing the U.S. market, TiGenix touts 52-wk data from PhIII stem cell trial. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: I have a gut feeling that UC and The Broad are going to settle up on CRISPR. Excellent summary from @sxbegle. STAT story | Follow @JohnCFierce
> Aprea starts recruiting a U.S. team as it preps for PhII on p53 'Holy Grail' cancer drug. Report
> Reeling from an FDA rejection, Telesta sheds 15% of its staff. Story
> Medivation's mystery cancer drug gets out from an FDA hold. Article
Pharma Marketing News
> Allergan rolls out third round of Linzess ads, targeting patients fed up with OTC meds. Report
> Fake smiles star in Otsuka and Lundbeck's DTC push for Rexulti in depression. Story
> Ill-fated Contrave trial piles more hurt on Orexigen. Item
> AbbVie's Humira, Pfizer's Lyrica kick off 2016 with hefty TV ad spend. Article
> Blind Pfizer sales rep gets her chance to argue for a car and driver in court. More
Biotech Research News
> MIT team spotlights role of amino acids in building tumor cells. Item
> Single gene mutation linked with significantly reduced heart attack risk. Report
> Mouse, tissue tests confirm a new pathway for insulin resistance in diabetes. Story
> Karolinska: Nanoparticle tech opens up new drug, vaccine targets. More
> Mount Sinai: CDK4/ARK5 inhibitor could offer new treatment for multiple myeloma. Article
Vaccines News
> Sanofi digs into details on hastened Zika effort. Story
> Vaxart, Immunovaccine, Mayo Clinic jump onto Zika vaccine bandwagon. More
> South Korea's Green Cross to supply Americas with flu vaccine in $32M deal. Item
> Duke, NIAID track HIV evolution with eyes on creating a vaccine. Article
And Finally... How do biotech entrepreneurs choose the names for their startup companies? Report