UCB not for sale; Shire strikes Adderall XR deal with Sandoz;

@FiercePharma: Irish plant shutdown puts another Merck site on the block. Story from FiercePharmaManufacturing | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: Analysts predicted Forest would do something to cut costs. Here it is. Release | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: This disease database digitization project is named for Tycho Brahe, Prague's imperial astronomer in the late 1500s. Story | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Belgian drugmaker UCB's largest shareholder says the company is not for sale. Story

> Shire ($SHPG) has reached an agreement with Sandoz for the generic arm of Novartis ($NVS) to sell an exclusive generic version of ADHD drug Adderall XR in the U.S. beginning July 1, 2016. Story

> The Indian government has tabled its move to limit direct foreign investment in pharma companies amid building opposition from the Finance Ministry and the Planning Commission. Story

> President Obama has signed the Drug Quality and Security Act, the new law that gives the FDA expanded responsibilities over compounding pharmacies and kicks off the move toward a national track-and-trace system in the U.S. Story

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: Report: Insurers could gain up to $1B in J&J hip settlement deal. Item | Follow @FierceMedDev

@MarkHFierce: LabCorp has become the latest to roll out new BRCA tests - wondering when Myriad will sue them, too. Release | Follow @MarkHFierce

@MichaelGFierce: ICYMI: Study: Natural nanomaterials could support biodegradable drug delivery. Story | Follow @MichaelGFierce

@GalenMoore: Infectious-disease biotech Visterra has raised $8.1M and licensed dengue-fever IP from its co-founder's lab at MIT. More | Follow @GalenMoore

> HeartWare bags CircuLite for up to $350M with eye on bigger market share. Article

> University of Toronto molecular Dx spinout pulls in $18.8M Series B. Report

> NEJM study ties Thoratec's HeartMate pump to blood clots. More

> Ardian vet, early Google employee post $3.8M for stealthy med tech startup. Story

> Abbott recalls glucose test strips over risk with older-model meters. Piece

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: PharmAthene scraps Theraclone merger after feds nix funding. More | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Forest Labs takes aim at R&D in $500M cost-cutting blitz. News | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: Aptuit poached a former $ICLR VP to serve as next CEO. Story | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: Novartis announced on Thanksgiving that its scientists have discovered a new malaria target. Release | Follow @EmilyMFierce

> Visterra hires AMAG, Concert vets, licenses dengue antibody from MIT. Story

> FDA delays Biogen's application on hemophilia B therapy. Item

Biotech IT News

> Computational biology startup joins Merck KGaA's incubator. More

> Digitization work turns 125 years of disease reports into Big Data goldmine. News

> Pfizer: 'Bring your own device' is coming to clinical trials. Story

> Academics dig into EMRs to discover genetic causes of disease. Article

> Report suggests biopharma wise to outsource cybersecurity. Piece

> Sony files patent for wearable computing 'SmartWig'. Item

CRO News

> Analyst: Pharma R&D cuts won't hamper big CROs. Story

> Almac banks $9M in diagnostics deal with Genomic Health. More

> CRO SillaJen eyes $150M deal for ex-sponsor. News

> Evoke picks SynteractHCR to helm PhIII for diabetes drug. Piece

> Aptuit snags ex-Icon exec to serve as CEO. Article

> Parexel: Strategic partnerships are the future. Item

And Finally... Studies will soon start to see if Pfizer's ($PFE) Chantix, a drug to help smokers quit, might also work for problem drinkers. Story