If Big Pharma loves rare diseases, where are the approvals?; Accounting for the Apocalypse in clinical trials;

Conversations on Twitter :

 @FierceBiotech: Genentech readies for groundbreaking $100M trial of Alzheimer's therapy. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Cowen out with list of top 10 potential surprises in '13, includes early OK on asfotase; restricting CRPC drugs to metastatic patients. List | Follow @JohnCFierce

@RyanFierce: EMA committee shoots down Sanofi's cholesterol drug mipomersen. News | Follow @RyanMFierce

> A new study shows that rare diseases, which have attracted increased attention from Big Pharma, remain relatively neglected. Of 850 drugs and vaccines approved in the U.S. and Europe from 2000 to 2011, only 37 were treatments for neglected diseases. Blog

> A new study in Science provides more evidence that triggers for killing cancer exist beyond the genes of tumor cells. Report

> Breakout Labs, funded by Peter Thiel's eponymous foundation, has funded two more biotech companies with grants. Release

> The FDA has accepted an NDA from Swiss biotech Actelion for its closely watched drug macitentan for a form of hypertension. Item

> Bayer HealthCare has submitted an NDA for U.S. approval of radium-223 for combating castration-resistant prostate cancer in patients whose cancer has spread to their bones. Release

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: WSJ: Pfizer animal health IPO could happen next month. Story | Follow @FiercePharma

> Roche looks to earn even more from Perjeta with EU nod. Article

> Lundbeck anti-binge-drinking drug gets EU OK. Story

> Fresenius intends to unload biotech operation. News

Medical Device News

 @FierceMedDev: InVivo Therapeutics is seeing an HDE for its biopolymer scaffolding product. Clinical trial starts in early 2013. News | Follow @FierceMedDev

@MarkHFierce: Zoll says its "temperature management solution" device treated 17 pilgrims with heat stroke on their way to Mecca. More | Follow @MarkHFierce

 @DamianFierce: Barack Obama has no interest in a delay on the 2.3% medical device tax. News | Follow @DamianFierce

> Study: Cardiac arrest patients often endure debilitating mental fallout. Item

> Cheap Dx spots lung cancer mutation ripe for Pfizer drug. Story

And Finally… Should doomsday be factored into projections for survival outcomes in clinical trials? It's a joke. Item