MorphoSys wins milestone as Novartis pushes into PhII/III; Astex shareholder tries to spur revolt against Otsuka buyout;

@FierceBiotech: ICYMI yesterday: What happens to the FDA in a government shutdown? Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Cancer immunotherapies turn a corner in race to megablockbuster market. Article | Follow @JohnCFierce

@EmilyMFierce: ICYMI yesterday: Government shutdown halts NIH research, CDC disease surveillance. Story from FierceBiotech Research | Follow @EmilyMFierce

@DamianFierce: Wall Street is less than thrilled with Stryker's $1.7B deal for MAKO, but CEO says just you wait. Story from FierceMedicalDevices | Follow @DamianFierce

> MorphoSys AG picked up a milestone today after its collaborator Novartis ($NVS) initiated a Phase II/III clinical trial in sporadic inclusion body myositis patients with the HuCAL-derived antibody bimagrumab (BYM338). Release

> Sarissa Capital says it's not happy with the terms of Otsuka's acquisition of Astex Pharmaceuticals ($ASTX). In an effort aimed at inspiring a stockholder revolt, Sarissa says it will not tender its shares, which represents about 5% of the biotech's equity. Release

> PDL BioPharma is providing $60 million in debt financing for Lensar. Release

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday... Report: Blackstone, Bain, other equity firms bid for J&J's Ortho Clinical Diagnostics unit. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@MarkHFierce: Myriad's stock dived earlier this week over Dx reimbursement fears driven by what turned out to be a clerical error. Story from FierceDiagnostics | Follow @MarkHFierce

> Quest unloads colon cancer Dx business as revamp marches on. Report

> Given Imaging should climb onto the auction block, investor says. News

> Street sneers at Stryker's $1.7B Mako deal, but CEO stays upbeat. Story

> GE will test imaging agent on MS patients taking Biogen's Tysabri. More

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: MS cases grow by 10% in 5 yrs, with most in US, Europe. Drugs access a problem, esp in low-income countries. More | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: The success of some drugs shortly after launch suggest stardom. Special report | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: From today's edition of FierceBiomarkers: Molecular switch could control metastases, aid diagnosis in breast cancer. Article | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> PhRMA sues feds over new rule on orphan-drug discounts. Story

> Judge sweeps aside AstraZeneca shield against Nexium competitor. More

> Shire aims to win skeptical Europe over to ADHD drugs. Article

Biomarkers News

> Report: Biomarkers market to grow 18.5% by 2018. Story

> Medicare's rejection of Alzheimer's test leaves Lilly in the lurch. Article

> Quintiles looks to biomarkers to speed up cancer trials. Report

> Research finds possible biomarker for Parkinson's with mild cognitive impairment. News

Drug Delivery News

@MichaelGFierce: Vaginal polymer ring delivers long-term HIV-preventing drug. Item | Follow @MichaelGFierce

> Hypertension drug could help chemo infiltrate tumors. More

> John Theurer Cancer Center touts two oral lymphoma drug studies. Story

> Oral peptide delivery biz Enteris lands Nordic partnership. Report

> MIT nanoparticles help deliver vaccines to mucosal surfaces. More

> Medtronic lands U.S. approval of early-generation artificial pancreas. Article

Diagnostics News

> Singulex will jump into in vitro diagnostics backed by $55M in debt, equity. Item

> UCLA team develops superfast fluorescent camera with Dx benefit. Story

> MA company debuts Dx device that could dramatically speed up HIV, other tests. Report

> Chronix preclinical study boosts CLIA goal for cell-free DNA cancer test. More

> Myriad reimbursement scare sent stock on roller coaster ride. Article

> Roche, Pacific Biosciences forge clinical Dx deal. Story

And Finally… Investigators have been testing new designer brands of marijuana to determine what makes them so toxic to teens. Release