EC approves Merck, Schering-Plough merger; Swine flu market on the rise;

> The global swine flu vaccine market is estimated to be $7.028 billion by 2011, growing at a CAGR of 222.4 percent from 2009 to 2011. Release

> Merck and Schering-Plough Corporation have received clearance from the European Commission under the EC Merger Regulation for their proposed merger. Release

> Biotie has secured committed standby equity up to 20 million euros. Report

Pharma News

> The Medicines Company is lobbying Congress. No big surprise, right? Drugmakers have been ploughing record amounts of cash into health-reform advocacy on Capitol Hill. But in Medicines Co.'s case, the full-court press isn't for reform, but for something much more specific: a patent extension on its anti-coagulant Angiomax. Report

> October hasn't been a good month for Big Pharma in liability court. First, GlaxoSmithKline lost its bellwether case over Paxil's alleged potential to cause birth defects. Now, Novartis has come out on the losing end of a Montana case over its bone-strengthening drug Zometa. Report

> We all know vaccines have emerged as a major growth engine for pharma. No longer an also-ran business, vaccines are becoming big-time business stars, backed by major DTC campaigns--think Garadasil's "One Less"--and sought after by companies that lack a piece of that market. But do we know just how big? Article

> Today's news out of India: Pfizer is shopping around for deals. The Economic Times reports that the drugmaker has kicked tires at Zydus Cadila, Emcure, Intas Pharma and Mankind Pharma. Report

And Finally... The Top 15 Women in Pharma. Report