@FierceBiotech: AZ writes off crucial motavizumab program and $445M. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: WSJ: probability of success for developing new chemical compounds has fallen from 12% a decade ago to 8% today. | Follow @JohnCFierce
> Eli Lilly says the FDA has agreed to give Avid Radiopharmaceuticals' breakthrough imaging agent for diagnosing Alzheimer's a priority review. Lilly also has completed the $300 million buyout of the company. Story
> Novo Nordisk has landed a deal allowing it to use technology from Emisphere in its development of oral insulin. Novo will pay $5 million on signing the deal along with $57 million in milestones for the pact. Researchers say it could take up to a decade to develop oral insulin. Report
> GlaxoSmithKline's decision to exit the CNS business is creating new opportunities for biotech companies. The UK's Proximagen says it has picked up two of GSK's promising early stage programs. No financial details were disclosed. Report
> Aeterna Zentaris has reached agreement with the FDA on a special protocol assessment for Solorel (AEZS-130, macimorelin), which will allow the company to complete the ongoing registration study required to gain approval as a diagnostic test for adult growth hormone deficiency. Aeterna release
> Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals says that topline results from its Phase IIb study of oral seliciclib capsules "showed that there was no difference between the seliciclib and placebo arms in terms of median progression free survival, or PFS, (48 versus 53 days respectively) but an increase in median overall survival was observed favoring the seliciclib arm over the placebo arm (388 versus 218 days respectively)." Cyclacel release
And Finally... In some adults, the white fat cells that we all stockpile so readily are supplemented by a very different form of fat--brown fat cells, which can offer the neat trick of burning energy rather than storing it. Release