ALSO NOTED: Pfizer profit plummets; Orchestra kills HIV program; and much more...

> There's big trouble at Pfizer, where profit plunged 48 percent in the second quarter as new generics ate up market share and Lipitor sales floundered. Release [1]| Report [2]

> Orchestra Therapeutics has discontinued its HIV vaccine development program. Analysis of data from 70 patients who completed a 52 weeks clinical trial in Europe and Canada did not show a clear advantage of Orchestra Therapeutics' second generation HIV vaccine, IR103, over its original whole-killed HIV vaccine, REMUNE. Furthermore, although interim analysis of patients in this trial at 36 weeks suggested a trend toward stabilization of CD4+ counts in HAART naive patients vaccinated with REMUNE or IR103, this trend was not observed at week 52. Release [3]

> Shares of PDL BioPharma tracked higher yesterday after one if its investors renewed calls for the termination of PDL CEO Mark McDade. Release [4]

> Theratechnologies reported today that new positive data related to body image from the first 26 weeks of its first Phase III study testing TH9507 in HIV-associated lipodystrophy have been presented in Sydney, Australia. Release [5]

> The FDA has fast-tracked Cardium's Generx, a therapy for insufficient blood flow in the heart muscle. Report [6]

> Switzerland's Basilea says that the FDA has agreed to review its experimental superbug drug, but declined to give it an accelerated review. Report [7]

And Finally... The incidence of serious strep infections has risen dramatically in the last three decades, and this increase is largely attributed to the spread around the globe of a single strain of strep known as the invasive M1T1 clone. Release [8]