Genentech ends combo studies; Minnesota blueprints $300M research center;

> Genentech has ended its studies of a combinational therapy of Avastin and Pfizer's Sutent after patients developed anemia. Report

> Officials in Minnesota are touting the potential of the planned $300 million Minnesota Biomedical Research Program, a project that already has earned legislative approval for $220 million in state funds. Minnesota report

> A Harvard research team has developed a new procedure that gave them ready access to a supply of adult muscle stem cells in mice, which they used to counter the effects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in test animals. Stem cell report

> A senior NIH researcher is at the center of a fresh round of charges regarding a potential conflict of interest between his financial interests and his research work. Report

> Billionaire computer scientist David E. Shaw is leading a project to develop a powerful new supercomputer that could undertake work on protein folding and other advanced biomedical simulation projects. Report

> A research team at the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB, and University of Leuven have found that a fault in the neuregulin protein plays a key role in the development of schizophrenia--an insight likely to spur new development programs for the disease. Report

> Pharming Group has signed a commercialization and supply agreement with Aslan Group in Turkey for the marketing and distribution of food or food supplements containing Pharming's human lactoferrin product. Release

> Pfizer is cutting 275 jobs at its biggest manufacturing plant in its latest restructuring move. Layoff report

> Ranbaxy's stock is way down for the second day in a row, on news that the U.S. investigation into its operations includes allegations that it made weak or adulterated HIV drugs given to thousands of AIDS patients in Africa. Ranbaxy report

> J&J's consumer sales drove earnings growth this quarter. Report

> Pharma sales forces have been falling under the axe a lot lately. The latest: Boehringer Ingelheim plans to halve its neurology sales force. Report

And Finally...Vitamin D is winning new champions for its ability to prevent disease. Article