ALSO NOTED: MannKind reports positive data for inhaled insulin; FDA delays Myozyme decision; and much more...

> MannKind has released positive data from its Phase IIb study of the inhaled Technosphere Insulin. Release [1]

> The FDA has delayed a decision on Genzyme's Myozyme for Pompe disease by 90 days. Report [2]

> UCB has sold its Belgian contract manufacturing business to Lonza for $145 million. Report [3]

> Australia's Clinical Cell Culture says that the FDA has asked for more data before it will approve ReCell, its spray-on skin treatment. The decision is likely to push back any approval by at least 12 months. The news sent shares of C3 down sharply. Report [4]

> Sepracor has added $10 million of shares in Acadia Pharmaceuticals as part of their partnership agreement. They partnered on a program to develop a new therapy for CNS diseases. Report [5]

> Genentech halted a Phase II trial of Xolair as a treatment for peanut allergy after reporting incidents of hypersensitivity. Xolair has been cleared in the U.S. and Europe as a therapy for asthma. Report [6]

> Matritech of Newton, MA has raised $7 million in financing. Report [7]

> Evotec has expanded its collaboration deal with Boehringer Ingelheim. Article [8]

> A group of experts say that 2006 will see a big wave of biotech IPOs along with a continued focus on new drug development partnerships. Report [9]

> Metrics: Global drug sales spiked 5 percent in the 12 months to November, according to IMS Health. Article [10]

> Iceland's DeCode Genetics has found a genetic variation that could predispose up to 40 percent of the population to Type 2 diabetes. That finding is likely to lead to a genetic test as well as new treatments focused on that population. Article [11]

> San Diego-based Arena Pharmaceuticals is offering 8.5 million shares of common stock. Report [12]

> Seattle-based Blood Cell Storage has raised $3.6 million to develop a new way to test blood. Report [13]

> A new study indicates that men who have had a heart attack and take Viagra and other impotence drugs face a ten-fold increase in their risk of blindness. Article [14]

And Finally… Triangle Business Journal profiles Aldagen, which is harvesting adult stem cells to treat damaged hearts. Article [15]