New drugs could add billions to prostate cancer market; Silence Therapeutics to shutter U.S. ops, find new CEO

@FierceBiotech: J&J dumps $625M diabetes drug pact with Diamyd. Item | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Silenor has to be one of the lamest new products I've seen in recent times. | Follow @JohnCFierce

> Fast on the heels of the approval of J&J's Zytiga, Medivation's MDV3100 and Takeda's TAK700 promise to help revolutionize the treatment of prostate cancer. Either alone or in combination analysts say they could help swell the prostate cancer market from $1 billion to $5 billion by 2015. Report

> The U.K.'s Silence Therapeutics--an RNAi company--says it will shutter its U.S. operations in a restructuring. As part of that restructuring the company announced that CEO Phil Haworth will leave the biotech once a successor is found. Release

> Xconomy reports that Polaris Venture Partners is opening an office in Palo Alto, one of a number of VCs that are spreading their wings to the West Coast hot spot. Story

> Shares of Aastrom Biosciences were buoyed by the news that its ixmyelocel-T therapy met its primary goals in a study of critical limb ischemia. Story

> AlphaRx reported that the board has terminated Dr. Joseph Schwarz and Dr. Michael Weisspapir, the chief scientist and the chief medical officer, for violations of the company's policies and procedures. AlphaRx release

> Adeona Pharmaceuticals says that is discovered some positive findings on further analyses from the clinical study evaluating reaZin along with near-term plans for its Alzheimer's disease program. Adeona release

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: Novartis scouts bolt-on deals of up to $3B. Article | Follow @FiercePharma

> ASCO spotlight on Yervoy, Zytiga and more. Piece

> Teva CEO eyes partnerships with Indian pharma. Article

> Italy's Sigma-Tau eyes sale of minority stake. Article

> J&J's Levaquin on trial for second time. News

> FDA launches database of inspections, enforcement. Report

> NC House approves lawsuit shield for pharma. Item

Vaccines News

> Lymphoma vaccine extends survival in late-stage study. News

> MediGene, Johns Hopkins join on HPV vax research. Report

> GAVI board hit with conflict of interest woes. Item

> Intercell recalls encephalitis vaccine batch. Story

Manufacturing News

> Congress queries ICE over 2008 heparin contamination. Report

> Unicef price postings aim for lower-cost vaccines. Story

> DHL bolsters cold chain with Sentry sensor device. Item

> FDA-TRACK update shows jump in FOIA requests. Story

> Sanofi dictates contractor choice, re-org to Genzyme. Article

> FDA: 5 recalls traced to excipients in 2010. News

And Finally... Researchers at Ford say they have used sensing technology to develop a new car seat that can monitor a driver's heart. Story