> Allos Therapeutics is down nearly 8 percent this morning following a briefing from the FDA ahead of an expert panel review next week. FDA staffers have questioned the drugmaker's clinical data and the safety profile for lymphoma drug candidate Folotyn. Article
> Orexo has signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Novartis to develop and commercialise a novel product related to Orexo's OX17 program. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Orexo release
> Researchers say the process for disclosing industry ties to clinical trial participants should to be improved. Article
> Early adverse events data from clinical trials for Rigel's R788's has some physicians comparing the drug candidate to Merck's Vioxx. Article
Pharma News
> In another U.S. meets the U.K. story, a Colorado state representative is fighting the feds to get Roche/Genentech's Avastin covered by Medicare. Article
> Should the U.S. turn to U.K.-style drug deals? That's what Motley Fool asks today. Article
> More co-promotion for Astellas Pharma. The Japanese company inked a deal with Pfizer to promote the latter's combo cardiovascular drug Caduet. Article
> In fact, Teva's auction rate securities took such a big bite out of the company's finances that it has sued Merrill Lynch & Co., which sold it the instruments, Bloomberg reports. Article
Biotech IT News
> Evaluation of newly designed synthetic routes and identification of drugs in development are features of an update to the organic synthesis knowledge area within the Prous Science Integrity portal. Article
> An association has formed for digital pathologists. Goals of the nonprofit, called the Digital Pathology Association, include defining best practices and influencing standards and interfaces. Education and a conference are also on the list. Article
> Researchers can use the Applied Semantic Knowledgebase to build a collection of models built from their research, then apply the models to visualizing and validating data-driven hypotheses. The models can also be used for knowledge-based screening. Article
And Finally... Drugmakers have come up with all sorts of ways to get folks to take their drugs as directed: mailouts, e-mails, phone calls, even gadget giveaways. But still, people with chronic health problems fail to follow through. Now, a big insurer and several drugmakers are appealing to patients where it really counts: the pocketbook. Article