@FierceBiotech: Novartis quarterbacks a $34M round for Huntington's startup Annexon. Report | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: Who spends $295M upfront on a me-better Ph3 growth hormone? $PFE, that's who. Spending money like it's 1998. Release | Follow @JohnCFierce
@DamianFierce: $SNY and $REGN bought CholesterolCounts.com ahead of their expected PCSK9 launch. | Follow @DamianFierce
> Norway's BerGenBio AS, a biotech focused on new cancer drugs, has raised $15 million. That money is being earmarked for its lead drug candidate, BGB324, a selective Axl kinase inhibitor currently in Phase Ib for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Release
> Boston-based Zafgen ($ZFGN) has launched a Phase IIb trial of its lead drug beloranib for obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Release
> Novato, CA-based Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical ($RARE) has dosed the first patient in the pivotal Phase III study of recombinant human beta-glucuronidase (rhGUS, UX003), an investigational therapy for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis 7. Release
Medical Device News
@FierceMedDev: ICYMI Friday: Strong one-year data for $BSX chronic pain implant, but reimbursement change stymies sales. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev
@StacyALawrence: How Long Can We Expect to Live? U.S. Life Expectancy Hits Record High. More | Follow @StacyALawrence
@EmilyWFierce: IRS battles it out with Medtronic and Covidien over offshore tax paying tactic. Story | Follow @EmilyWFierce
> FDA issues new guidance on MRI safety and compatibility of medical devices. More
> Spinal device maker LDR files to raise $150M. Article
Pharma News
@FiercePharma: Top-read pharma news this weekend: Actavis plan to stop making original Namenda derailed by court. Article | Follow @FiercePharma
@EricPFierce: ICMYI from FiercePharmaManufacturing: Third round of cuts slated for Novartis US Diovan plant. Total reaches 133 with 394 more gone by 2016. Piece | Follow @EricPFierce
@CarlyHFierce: The only thing that makes me happier on a Monday than a vaccines M&A story is one that involves the Czech Republic. Press release | Follow @CarlyHFierce
> Bayer fails last-ditch attempt to block India's cheap Nexavar copies. Story
> Stada, Dr. Reddy's and others dodge German drug suspensions with appeals. More
> Turnaround-minded Teva CEO scouts deals in specialty generics, emerging markets. Report
> Banks lost big betting on canceled AbbVie-Shire merger. Article
CRO News
> BioClinica snags a Pfizer exec to take the helm. Item
> CRO Health Decisions carries on after CEO's death. More
> Medidata burnishes its risk-based monitoring tech with latest buy. Report
> DaVita grows its in-house CRO with a data-centric merger. Story
> PPD's X-Chem pairs up with Alexion for drug discovery. Article
Biotech IT News
> Autism Speaks to make Google-underpinned genomics database freely available. More
> Early Medidata backer plans $150M digital-health fund. Article
> Pfizer turns to app to overcome rare disease enrollment bottleneck. Item
> Flatiron maintains dealmaking pace with patient-reported outcome data hookup. Story
> Transcriptic offers Y Combinator biotechs $20,000 credit for its robotic labs. Report
Animal Health News
> Parnell shakes up management team, woos investors, as shares stagnate. News
> Kansas State researchers model U.S. outbreak of foot-and-mouth. Report
> European and U.S. scientists warn veterinary meds are endangering wildlife. More
> Will the $8.2B buyout of PetSmart affect its in-store Banfield pet hospitals? Story
> Sanofi chairman hints at animal health deals, sending Zoetis shares soaring. Article