@FiercePharma: Chinese police pick up AstraZeneca sales rep for questioning. AZN says no reason to think it's part of bribery probe. Report | Follow @FiercePharma
@CarlyHFierce: Reuters says Roche may have to turn to an outsider for its chairman hunt. News | Follow @CarlyHFierce
> GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) said it has abandoned a bid to increase its stake in its Nigerian unit after minority shareholders opposed the deal. Report
> Astellas Pharma won FDA approval for its once-daily drug to prevent transplant rejection, AstraGraf XL, a new formulation of the older product Prograf. Release
> A U.S. judge allowed a failure-to-warn suit against Boehringer Ingelheim to proceed, with plaintiff Mark Jackson alleging that the company didn't properly flag the bleeding risks associated with its anticoagulant Pradaxa. Report
> Forest Laboratories ($FRX) said it has settled another Bystolic patent fight, allowing generics maker Amerigen to launch its version three months ahead of the drug's U.S. patent expiration. Release
> Celesio said it has recruited Novartis ($NVS) executive Alexander Triebnigg to take over management of the Brazilian wholesaler Panpharma. Report
> As painkiller abuse continues to kill patients, pain doctors are asking more patients to take urine tests to show that they are taking the powerful drugs as prescribed. Report
> A former CVS pharmacist sued the company alleging that he was wrongfully dismissed, partly because he complained that staff cutbacks were increasing medication errors. Report
Medical Device News
@FierceMedDev: Med tech VC investing remains sluggish, biotech surges. Report | Follow @FierceMedDev
@MarkHFierce: Google is backing Dx company SynapDx in its new $15.4M funding round. Release (PDF) | Follow @MarkHFierce
@DamianFierce: Mela's melanoma-finding device was hailed as a major advance on FDA approval, but docs remain wary. Story | Follow @DamianFierce
> Saladax draws another $8M from GE to market cancer tests. News
> Medtronic's auto-adjust insulin pump on cusp of FDA approval. More
> ResMed wages patent battle with Chinese medical device maker. Item
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: Popular this weekend - Report: Pfizer backs off Onyx bid as price gets too rich. Article | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: Report: Big Pharma mounts secret attack against data transparency rule - (some companies will never learn). Report | Follow @JohnCFierce
@RyanMFierce: Roche is still undecided about new chair. Art Levinson dismissed as "too radical." Reuters' article | Follow @RyanMFierce
@EmilyMFierce: New 3-D model of diabetes target could shape drug design. More | Follow @EmilyMFierce
> Does Roche need a biotech brain in the chairman's office? Story
> Isis Pharma fuels fervor for cardio drug with more midstage data. Report
> Biotech vets pick up $10M B round for startup Alcresta. News
CRO News
> ResearchDx expands to meet contract diagnostics demand. Report
> CROs large and small get serious about eClinical. More
> Aesica teams with QRxPharma for abuse-deterrence tech. Item
> CRO Solutions spins niche services into new biz. Story
> AstraZeneca picks Tufts for outsourcing-heavy neuro program. Article
> WuXi, PRA snag ex-Theorem CEO to head China JV. News
Biotech IT News
> J&J searching for European digital health entrepreneurs. Item
> Chinese CRO buys software to bridge gap to global clients. More
> Bioinformatics buy bolsters Life Technologies' diagnostics pact with Merck Serono. Story
> With pharma clientele, Big Data-mapping startup Ayasdi lands $30.6M financing. Article
And Finally... Low vitamin D levels in people over 55 are associated with increased disability, a study found. Report