> The British government plans to lean heavily on the world's biggest drug companies to get them to voluntarily relinquish patents on a broad array of drug technologies that could be used to spur new research into therapies to treat HIV and a host of neglected diseases. Report

> Aveo Pharmaceuticals has nailed a development and commercialization deal with Biogen Idec covering its discovery-stage ErbB3-targeted antibodies for cancer and other diseases. The deal includes an unspecified upfront payment and a schedule of milestones. Release

> Marlboro, MA-based Xcellerex and three collaborators have won an $11 million defense contract to develop technology for accelerated monoclonal antibody and vaccine manufacturing. Release

> Bothell, WA-based MDRNA has licensed its technology to Novartis in a non-exclusive pact that will earn it $7.25 million in upfront fees. Report

> The chairman of Sepracor, Timothy Barberich, sold more than 600,000 shares in the company for $8.7 million. Report

> Cleveland BioLabs raised $2.9 million in a private placement. Story

> A reduction in R&D expenses has helped cut losses at Alizyme. Story

> Wall Street is abuzz today with talk that Allergan may be on the block. Options traders have snapped up 13,000 April contracts. Apparently, they were set in motion by a web report that GlaxoSmithKline might be interested in the Botox-maker. Report

> The U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts has flagged Merck as the target of a grand jury investigation, the company announced today. The probe "relates to activities in connection with Vioxx," a statement from Merck said. Report

> Well, here are some kudos for two pharma execs who made Barron's list of the 30 most respected CEOs. Genentech's Art Levinson (photo) and Abbott Laboratories' Miles White (photo) were the only two drug chiefs to make the list. Report

> U.S. District Judge Edward Korman lambasted the FDA for putting politics above public health and ordered FDA to let 17-year-olds have access to the drug, known as Plan B. Report

> Two drugmakers that managed to boost revenues in 2008 added some growth serum to their CEOs' pay packages, too. Bristol-Myers Squibb's Jim Cornelius (photo) got a whopping $8 million raise while Allergan's David Pyott (photo) netted a $700,000 increase. Report 

> For years researchers have achieved exciting results treating cancer in genetically engineered mouse models, only to find that efficacy tumbles to a marginal rate once the same therapy is tried in humans. But now a growing number of researchers are turning to dogs to take the place of mice in animal cancer studies. Report

And Finally... A consortium involving NHS Blood and Transplant, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and the Wellcome Trust is backing a new research project that will attempt to create 'synthetic' blood from embryonic stem cells. Backers say that the new blood supply should be ready for testing in humans within three years. Report