ALSO NOTED: Lilly gains backing on Evista; Cyntellect gains $15M in venture funds; Spectrum acquires rights to drug; and much m

> Eli Lilly won the expert backing of an FDA committee to use Evista for some types of breast cancer. The approval extends to invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis and the reduction of the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who are at high risk for the disease. Release

> San Diego-based Cyntellect has raised $15.1 million in venture capital. The money goes to "hire personnel, expand operations, accelerate development and commercialization of products and explore novel applications of the company's laser-based live-cell manipulation technology." Release

> Spectrum Pharmaceuticals has acquired the worldwide rights to ortataxel, a tumor therapy being developed by Italy's Indena. The therapy has demonstrated activity against taxane-resistant tumors in Phase II. Report

> With its stock wobbling around the falling sales of Avandia, GSK has doubled its share buyback program. Report

> Swiss regulators have approved Novartis' cancer drug Tasigna. Report

> Often misunderstood and frequently joked about, research into new treatments for restless legs syndrome, has taken a distinctly serious turn with a pair of studies that identifies three gene variations believed responsible for the condition. Report

> Scientists have developed the world's first robotic ankle. Report

And Finally... Experiments using genetically-engineered pigs to make them compatible with the human immune system are raising expectations about the prospects of cross-species transplantation. Report