> Trident Biotech has agreed to pay $2.5 million for 60 percent of GeoPharma's ovarian cancer business. GeoPharma has made a number of cost-cutting moves recently and says this deal whould also help reduce its overhead. Release l Report
> ThromboGenics and BioInvent International have received a technology transfer success fee of €5 million from Roche under the terms of their strategic alliance for the novel anti-cancer antibody, TB-403. The payment has been triggered by the successful transfer and implementation of technology and process development to Roche in relation to the ongoing clinical development of TB-403. Release
> ReNeuron has inked a licensing pact with a division of Galapagos for one of its neural stem cell lines derived from the striatum. Release
> When any two mega-companies join hands, some suffering will follow. Who stands to lose when Pfizer and Wyeth wrap up their big merger? Report
> Last year, AstraZeneca's stock outperformed every other company on the FTSE 100. But the future may not be so rosy--or so analysts are saying. Report
> For the fourth year in a row, Genentech has topped Fortune's list of Best Employers. According to Fortune, the company was given high marks for resisting Roche's takeover bid, as well as implementing retention bonuses and severance packages for anyone terminated after a merger. Report
> Now, medical societies are joining the doctor-disclosure parade. The North American Spine Society, which represents U.S. spine surgeons, will now require researchers to disclose not only their relationships with medical-device companies, but also the dollar amounts that change hands. Report
> Minnesota health officials are drawing a link between the shortage of Merck's Hib childhood vaccine and an increase in that disease, which can cause meningitis and pneumonia. Report
And Finally... The Seattle Times reports that while small publicly-funded biotechs in the area may be in a world of hurt, the future actually looks pretty good for start-ups and the bigger, more mature developers in the region. Article