Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., of New York, will invest $250 million to expand its large-scale biologics manufacturing facility in Devens, Mass., introducing biologics development and clinical trial manufacturing capabilities and adding about 350 employees...Work is expected to begin in late 2013

Targeting 25% of $20B Market Tecarfarin (ATI-5923) recently completed a Phase III study demonstrating safety and effectiveness in patients with prosthetic heart valves in addition to those with other conditions such as atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism, independent of CYP status...Kengatharan declined to disclose Armetheon's financing to date but said the company is able to draw from a convertible note as it moves toward a Series A...Armetheon is meeting with investment bankers to complete

In the most recent action in the case, the mass torts law firm of Watts Guerra LLP, of San Antonio, has filed a motion to consolidate the incretins litigation nationally...Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, of Ingelheim, Germany, is the target of a proposed national class-action lawsuit by the Toronto law firm of McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP, relating to the blood thinner Pradax (dabigatran etexilate...Pradax is used to prevent clotting in patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation

As a result of the amendment, Takeda assumes full responsibility for Omontys and, should the big pharma opt to re-introduce the drug to the market, Affymax would be eligible to receive royalties and potential commercial milestone payments totaling up to $180 million

Merck currently markets Noxafil oral suspension for prophylaxis of invasive Aspergillus and Candida infections in patients, 13 and older, at high risk of developing those infections due to being severely immunocompromised...PeptiDream Inc., of Tokyo, and Ipsen SA, of Paris, entered a research collaboration and license option agreement to discover, evaluate, potentially develop and launch therapeutic peptides to treat serious medical conditions in areas of therapeutic focus for Ipsen

On a personal note, CEOs of big pharma companies would have to give 30 percent of their earnings – of $1 million or more – to the government, and the budget would limit the value of tax deductions and other tax benefits for other high-income earners who haven't entered the millionaire's club

The drug is expected to be available by the end of May...GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, and A*STAR's Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, of Singapore, signed a five-year agreement to develop new evidence-based formulations (EBFs) specifically for emerging markets...EBFs are medicines reformulated to provide additional patient benefit

The company expects to see results from by late summer...The firms will aim to offer pharma and biotech companies a set of fully integrated nuclear receptor drug discovery capabilities by combining expertise in structural biology, medicinal chemistry, biology, DMPK, pharmacology and safety

Covis Pharma Sarl, of Zug, Switzerland, inked a deal with affiliates of Paris-based Sanofi SA to acquire full commercial rights to Nilandron (nilutamide), Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), Rilutek (riluzole), Uroxatral (alfuzosin hydrochloride) and Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfate) in the U.S. Sanofi will retain rights to the products outside of the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed...In other news, Prana reported that it received a A$2.5 million (US$2.6 million) cash refund under the R&D

Merz Pharma Group, of Frankfurt, Germany, said it withdrew its nonbinding proposal to acquire the outstanding common stock of Obagi Medical Products Inc., of Long Beach, Calif., for $22 per share in cash...NovaDel Pharma Inc., of Bridgewater, N.J., signed a definitive agreement to sell its NovaMist technology and certain additional assets, including related patents and trademarks, to Australia's Suda Ltd

Valeant has granted Actavis the exclusive right to co-promote Zovirax cream to obstetricians and gynecologists in the U.S., and Actavis has granted Valeant the exclusive right to co-promote Actavis Specialty Brands' Cordran Tape (flurandrenolide) product in the U.S...and, Kayexalate is prescribed to remove dangerously high levels of potassium in the blood

Covis Pharma Sarl, of Zug, Switzerland, inked a deal with affiliates of Paris-based Sanofi SA to acquire full commercial rights to Nilandron (nilutamide), Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), Rilutek (riluzole), Uroxatral (alfuzosin hydrochloride) and Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfate) in the U.S. Sanofi will retain rights to the products outside of the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed

DFH Pharma Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., said it entered a research and product development agreement with Hetero Group, a research-based pharmaceutical group headquartered in Hyderabad, India, to develop next-generation HIV maturation inhibitor drugs...Tris Pharma Inc., of Monmouth Junction, N.J., said the FDA approved its new drug application for Karbinal ER (carbinoxamine maleate) extended-release oral suspension, a sustained-release histamine receptor blocking agent indicated for the treatment of

UCB SA, of Brussels, Belgium, said its Canadian subsidiary received Health Canada approval for Neupro (rotigotine), a non-ergolinic dopamine agonist in patch form, for treating the signs and symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson's disease and moderate to severe idiopathic restless legs syndrome in adults

In other news, GSK recently agreed to a nonexclusive material transfer, patent and know-how license deal with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for the development and manufacture of a next-generation polio vaccine...The agreement allows the HPA to contribute to global polio eradication, while securing a commitment from a major pharma firm to develop use of its technology

Ferro Corp., of Cleveland, sold its pharmaceuticals business, Pfanstiehl Laboratories, to PLI Holdings Inc., an affiliate of Med Opportunity Partners LLC, for $16.9 million in cash and an earn-out incentive payment of up to $8 million, payable over two years based on earnings targets...The move is part of a strategy by Ferro to divest non-core businesses and drive growth from its Performance Materials and Performance Chemicals businesses...The exchange offer is being carried out to satisfy obligations

DSP will exclusively discuss with RIJ to collaborate in and outside Japan...RIJ said it aims to commercialize the world's first pharmaceutical iPS cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells...Completion of the rights sale under the APA is subject to certain third-party and Chinese regulatory approvals

The agreement allows the HPA to contribute to global polio eradication, while securing a commitment from a major pharma firm to develop use of its technology...Terms include certain milestones and tiered royalty payments to the HPA in return for technology transfer and other licensing rights

A.P. Pharma Inc., of Redwood City, Calif., received a complete response letter from the FDA regarding the new drug application for APF530 for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting...In other news, SCT closed its previously announced private placement for gross proceeds of C$3.2 million (US$3.1 million