When Pfizer Inc. won U.S. approval of its alpha-2 delta ligand Lyrica, people with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) gained their first official therapy for the painful, head-to-toe disorder, which brings a dreary lineup of added symptoms that include fatigue, muscle stiffness, cognitive dysfunction and insomnia. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

Goodbye, 2007: The year finished with a splutter of moderately bad, or somewhat good, or just plain confusing news from a handful of well-known players in the cancer space. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s happy news last week from an interim analysis of its Phase III trial with oral Rapinyl - licensed in North America from the Swiss firm Orexo AB - for breakthrough cancer pain put the spotlight on an $800 million market where the competition grows ever fiercer. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

Having proven the efficacy of its bone-graft product for the foot and ankle in a Canadian pivotal trial, BioMimetic Therapeutics Inc. is selling rights for the marketed periodontal therapy based on the same platform, thereby gaining $40 million in cash that will be used for other product development. (BioWorld Today)