> An early-stage safety trial of a cavity-prevention therapy from Oragenics has been placed on hold by U.S. regulators. Report
> Epix Pharmaceuticals will pick up a $3 million payment from GlaxoSmithKline on its discovery of three new drug discovery candidates. Release
> Biopartners says a late-stage trial of its recombinant human growth hormone--a biosimilar named Valtropin--has demonstrated equivalent safety and efficacy to its reference product. Release
> The FDA has accepted GSK's BLA for Rotarix for review. Report
> Alpine Biomed has named John Arnott, a former officer with Hospira, CEO. Release
> arGentis Pharmaceuticals has inked an agreement with The University of Tennessee Research Foundation to license the intellectual property surrounding the use of solubilized type 1 native bovine collagen as a treatment for systemic sclerosis (SSc or systemic scleroderma) and other fibrosing diseases. Release
> Poor Novartis--the blows keep coming. The National Cancer Institute has nuked a study designed to determine whether letrozole, a breast cancer drug made by the company, might actually prevent cancer. FiercePharma
> In the two weeks since the FDA told Glaxo to slap a heart attack warning label on Avandia, prescriptions slid by 40 percent, and now the drug maker appears set to slash its Avandia sales force. FiercePharma
> Researchers have found a new target that may be the key to raising levels of "good" cholesterol--a hot topic in drug discovery circles. FierceBioresearcher
And Finally... As Hispanics grow more acculturated in the U.S., their use of illegal drugs is rising. Report