• Pfizer Inc., of New York, is facing a lawsuit alleging negligence and other allegations claiming that the firm failed to warn the medical community that antidepressant Zoloft (sertraline) carried a risk of congenital birth defects when taken during pregnancy. Pfizer attempted to move the lawsuit from the St. Louis Circuit Court to federal court, but the suit recently was ordered back to the state court.

• Roche AG, of Basel, Switzerland, said it continues to believe that it's increased offer of $51 per share is "fair and extremely attractive" for tools firm Illumina Inc., of San Diego. Illumina has continued to reject Roche's bid. (See BioWorld Today, Jan. 26, 2012.)

• Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., of Montreal, said it acquired privately held podiatry-focused Pedinol Pharmacal Inc., of Farmingdale, N.Y., for less than 1.5 times sales. Pedindol's revenue for 2011 was about $18 million.