> The big loser among biotech companies this morning is Dynavax Technologies, which saw its shares slump 26 percent after it announced that it was unable to determine the effectiveness of its ragweed allergy therapy in a clinical trial. The culprit: The absence of ragweed allergies among the volunteers. Release
> Canada's iCo Therapeutics has licensed the rights to develop CAT-213, an antibody currently being studied for allergic conjunctivitis, from Cambridge Antibody Technology. AstraZeneca bought CAT last year. CAT-213 has been advanced through Phase II. Report
> ProEthic Pharmaceuticals of Montgomery, AL says it will file an NDA for its migraine drug therapy, PRO-513, in the early part of this year after reporting that a late-stage study hit its primary endpoints for relieving pain in comparison to a placebo. Release
> Chutes & Ladders: Howard Robin, the former president and CEO of the recently bought out Sirna Therapeutics, has been named president and CEO of Nektar Therapeutics. He replaces acting CEO Howard Chess. Report
> Authorities in Vietnam are racing to contain a recent outbreak of avian flu in birds. Report
> Pierre Fabre has acquired the OTC business of UCB in France, Benelux, Switzerland and Greece. Release
> Savient Pharmaceuticals is laying off the 19 people in its Oxandrin weight gain therapy after releasing a generic version of the drug. Release
> Provectus Pharmaceuticals' anti-cancer agent, PV-10, has received orphan drug designation by the FDA. Release
> Scientists have discovered a new source of stems cells and have used them to create muscle, bone, fat, blood vessel, nerve and liver cells in the laboratory. These stem cells, taken from the amniotic fluid that surrounds developing embryos, could put to rest the controversy that's surrounded stem cell research. Release
And Finally... A White House adviser says that any repeat of a 1918 flu pandemic is likely to spur many more deaths than the 62 million recently forecast. Article