ALSO NOTED: Pfizer to buy CovX; Florida commits $94M to Max Planck; Affymetrix buys USB; HGS touts animal trial results for ant

> Aggressively looking to expand its role in biologics, Pfizer has struck a deal to buy CovX. No figures were given. Report

> Florida's governor has committed $94 million to bring the Max Planck Society to Palm Beach County, making it a neighbor of Scripps Florida. Report

> Affymetrix is buying USB, which makes molecular biology and biochemical reagent products, for $75 million. Release

> The FDA has approved Forest Laboratories' hypertension drug Bystolic, which it plans to launch next month. Release

> Human Genome Sciences says that animal studies of a new anthrax therapy have demonstrated marked results. Release

> Insmed has received the FDA's Orphan Drug Designation for IPLEX, a treatment of myotonic muscular dystrophy. Release

> Elixir set the terms for its IPO at $14 to $16 a share. Report

> Belgium's Ablynx is touting the results of a Phase I trial of its ALX-0081 nanobody for thrombosis. Release

> Biomarin announced today that it has re-acquired the Canadian rights for tetrahydrobiopterin, including Kuvan, from Merck Serono, The FDA has granted marketing approval for BioMarin Pharmaceutical's Kuvan tablets, a specific drug therapy for the treatment of phenylketonuria. Release

> Medarex will receive an undisclosed milestone payment from Amgen for advancing an antibody into human clinical trials. Release

> Merck and Schering-Plough have responded to public outcry over their plans to re-jig a study of Vytorin, a joint product that combines Merck's Zocor and Schering-Plough's Zetia. Report

> The Internet is buzzing about a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece in which ex-FDA deputy commissioner Scott Gottlieb (photo) championed the sort of off-label promotions that make regulators crazy. Report

> Counterfeit drugmakers have found some unlikely allies: free trade zones. Report

And Finally… A new DNA sequencing technique could dramatically lower the cost to read human genomes. Article