> FDA staffers have raised safety questions on an experimental drug from Novartis that removes excess iron from a patient's body. The agency raised concerns about kidney damage and liver impairment one day before an FDA panel is preparing to meet and review the drug. Report
> Merck's former chief scientist conceded in court yesterday that the company never publicly disclosed that Alzheimer's patients taking Vioxx had a higher death rate than those on a placebo. Article
> GlaxoSmithKline is warning that its antidepressant Paxil could be more closely linked to birth defects than other drugs in the same category. Story
> Cytokinetics is dropping one arm of a trial of the drug Ispinesib for lung cancer after failing to see sufficient anti-tumor activity. Story
> The US has issued a $77 million contract to a consortium to help direct the flow of AIDS drugs to Africa. Article
> Shares of Coley Pharmaceutical were buoyed yesterday after the drug developer said it was launching a new, early-stage study on the hepatitis C treatment Actilon. Report
> Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Altus has submitted positive Phase I data for ALTU-238, a long-acting crystalline formulation of recombinant human growth hormone. Release
> Nanogen plans to raise $20 million through the sale of stock. Release
> Eisai has in-licensed the anti-coagulant Fragmin from Pfizer. Release
> Germany's MediGene has filed an NDA for its genital wart therapy Polyphenon E Ointment. Report
And Finally… A proposed ballot initiative in Florida would funnel $200 million of state funds to embryonic stem cell research, adding it to the list of states anxious to lure researchers to their area. Article