FDA panels to review telaprevir, boceprevir next week; Genzyme Genetics to pink slip 169;

 @FierceBiotech: Sangart raises $50M to fund critical Ph2b ischemia study. Report | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: Janssen dumps antibiotic pact as it shifts out of the field, focuses on vaccines. Report | Follow @JohnCFierce

> Armed with positive Phase III data, Merck and Vertex will take their turns in front of an FDA advisory panel next week as they make their case for two blockbuster drugs for the multibillion-dollar hepatitis C market. First up will be Merck's boceprevir, with Vertex's telaprevir up for review on Thursday. Agency reviews should be out early next week. Story

> Employees at Genzyme Genetics are dealing with one of the unfortunate realities of mergers and acquisitions--layoffs. Lab Corp. of America ($LH), which bought Genzyme Genetics from Genzyme last year for $925 million, gave word to workers last week that 169 jobs would be cut in the IT and reimbursement departments, the Worcester Business Journal reported. Report

> The FDA has granted Nektar Therapeutics' oncology drug candidate orphan drug status. Report

> Jennerex and Green Cross announced positive Phase II results for JX-594 in combination with sorafenib in liver cancer patients. Patients experienced rapid tumor necrosis after the two drugs were administered. Jennerex release

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: J&J defends executive pay to institutional investors. News | Follow @FiercePharma

> Valeant flexes its muscles on Cephalon deal. Report

> Report: GSK mulls deal for India vaccines unit. Story

> Pfizer, Shanghai expand Chinese collaboration. Article

> Results of Avastin-Lucentis match-up due May 1. Article

> UK docs can now strike risk-sharing deals with pharma. Item

Vaccines News

> NanoBio pursues nasal vaccine to prevent UTIs. Report 

> Report: GlaxoSmithKline in talks to buy India vaccine unit. Item 

> Novavax gets a new CEO. News 

> Inovio, Transgene and ChronTech enter HepC pact. Article 

> Aduro licenses BioSante cancer vaccines. Story 

Manufacturing News

> Hamburg pushes science, enforcement in FDA strategy. News 

> J&J quantifies manufacturing woes in financials. Article  

> Pfizer plant prepped before demolition to contain killer API. Item 

> FDA director offers QbD insight. Story 

> Reddy: Process expertise, luck drove success. News 

> U.S. plants fall to GSK strategy shift. Article 

And Finally... Maine has the highest rate of residents in treatment for OxyContin addiction, a trend that has helped fuel a sharp spike in pharmacy robberies. Story