Molecular Insights surge on imaging data; BioSante trial to continue;

> Shares of Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals shot up after the company released positive data on its radiolabeled, small-molecule molecular imaging pharmaceutical in development for diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer. Release

> Following a review by an external committee, BioSante Pharmaceuticals says it will continue a Phase III safety study of LibiGel. Report

> Merck and Schering-Plough are to hold talks with stockholders over their pending merger in August; if approved, the $41.1 billion alliance would form the world's second-largest prescription drug maker. Report

> Schoolchildren could be first in line for swine flu vaccine this fall--and schools are being put on notice that they might even be turned into shot clinics. Report

> The New York Empire State Stem Cell Board has approved the use of state funds to compensate women who donate eggs for embryonic stem cell research. Report

Pharma News

> Will the M&A trend give pharma more bargaining power? Report

> Once again, the American Medical Student Association is taking its professors and schools to task. The latest ratings on med school conflicts-of-interest policies show that more colleges are beefing up their anti-conflicts policies. But more than half of med schools still have less-than-adequate rules--or even none at all. Report

> If you had any lingering doubt that the new FDA would get tougher, here's some news for you: Commissioner Margaret Hamburg says she wants to move quickly on safety alerts, and she's promising more post-marketing safety studies. Report

> Scottsdale, AZ-based Matrixx Initiatives suffered a 68 percent drop in share price Tuesday after federal regulators warned consumers to discontinue use of cold products manufactured by the company. In a release, the FDA said that three of the company's over-the-counter products--Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Gel Swabs and Kids Size swabs--could cause "long-lasting or permanent" loss of smell. Report

Research News

> Wayne State University has teamed up with an innovative company created by a group of former Pfizer scientists to advance a new therapy discovered in one of its academic labs into clinical development. Report

> Following the Obama administration's decision to loosen the purse strings on federal support of stem cell research, scientists at the Stem Cell Research Forum of India expect discovery work in the subcontinent to barrel ahead to an estimated $540 million next year with an annual growth rate of 15 percent. Report

Manufacturing News

> Millipore has expanded its Massachusetts presence with a manufacturing facility in Danvers. Report

> If facility plans and openings during a down economy are a harbinger of better days ahead, grab your sunglasses. Several contract manufacturing announcements indicate that production demand is on the rise. Report

> World Trade magazine has unveiled its picks for top drivers of the global supply chain. On this year's list: Cortegra Group's biometric authentication technology, which the magazine says "offers a new level of anti-counterfeiting technology for pharmaceuticals that, itself, cannot be counterfeited." Report

> Despite the economy, demand for biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing services is expected to grow at 16 percent annually over the next five years, from its estimated 2009 level of $2.6 billion, says consultancy HighTech Business Decisions. Report

And Finally... Using its baculovirus and insect cell manufacturing technology, Protein Sciences estimates that it could be delivering H1N1 swine flu vaccine by mid July. That includes quality testing time, the manufacturer says. Report