Eli Lilly, Incyte RA drug posts positive mid-stage data; Verastem losses surge; Boehringer strikes new tech pact;

Conversations on Twitter :

 @FierceBiotech: Protein biomarker predicts Type 2 diabetes years in advance. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: Want to sell expensive cancer drugs in China? Get the middle class to buy health insurance. Story | Follow @JohnCFierce

 @RyanMFierce: Hep C pill race report 2012: $GILD, $ABT, $VRTX, others rush toward pharma gold. Report | Follow @RyanMFierce

> Eli Lilly ($LLY) and Incyte ($INCY) say their experimental rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib reduced symptoms in a mid-stage study, with the highest dose also reducing joint damage. Story

> Verastem ($VSTM) says its losses grew in the last quarter, primarily due to increasing R&D costs. Story

> Boehringer Ingelheim and BaroFold have struck a non-exclusive technology and commercial license option agreement in which Boehringer will acquire a laboratory-scale reactor of BaroFold's Pressure Enabled Manufacturing Technology that can also be qualified for GMP use. Release

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: $AZN's Seroquel franchise takes another hit: German court rules XR patent invalid. U.K. did already. Anyone else? More | Follow @FiercePharma

> Roche sells insurance to gin up paying customers in China. Story

> AMA lines up against pharma's pay-to-delay deals. News

> Genzyme resolves shortage of cancer drug Thyrogen. Article

> Pfizer, Protalix near Eleyso supply deal in Brazil. Report

Medical Device News

 @FierceMedDev: Medtronic gains expanded approval for ts Valiant Captivia stent graft system. More | Follow @FierceMedDev

 @MarkHFierce: Malaysia looking to beef up its medical device clinical testing capabilities. Item | Follow @MarkHFierce

 @DamianFierce: Mindray Medical is recalling anesthesia devices over a leak risk. News | Follow @DamianFierce

> FDA blocks Hospira from importing pumps. Article

> Edwards crushes Medtronic in appeals fight over heart valve patent. Story

Biomarkers News

> Biomarker tags AstraZeneca's clot buster activity in patient subgroup. Story

> Genetic mutations signpost inherited heart risk. Item

> Protein marker tags activity for GlaxoSmithKline drug in mesothelioma. More

> Fox Foundation funds BioFIND Parkinson's marker project. News

Drug Delivery News

> Injectable sponge stars and hearts deliver drugs. Story

> Optinose $2.1M grant to deliver autism treatment from the nose to the brain. Item

> Bacterial 'minicells' deliver cancer drugs straight to the target. More

> GSK, XenoPort terminate extended-release gabapentin deal. Article

And Finally… Investigators at Queen's University Belfast say they have solved the mystery behind a large set of what had been unexplainable cases of infertility. Release