Novartis expands diagnostics effort with $470M buyout; Northwest resumes enrollment in glioblastoma trial;

 @FierceBiotech: Pharma: The new Big Biotech? Report | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: My bet: NIH will invest $5B into drug development and then there will be a string of stories in 5 years asking where all the new drugs are. Follow @JohnCFierce

> Novartis has struck a deal to buy the cancer diagnostics company Genpotix for $470 million. "We see this boost to the further development of individual tests--for predicting which drug fits to which patient--as making a lot of sense strategically," said Zuercher Kantonalbank analyst Michael Nawrath. Report

> Northwest Biotherapeuticsis resuming enrollment of additional new patients into its ongoing 240-patient Phase II clinical trial of DCVax for Glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer. Northwest release

> Optimer says that the FDA will give its bacterial infection drug Fidaxomicin a priority review. Story

> FDA advisors are recommending formal approval for Bayer's imaging agent for use in MRI scans. Story

> India's Jupiter Biosciences is in talks to buy Switzerland's SynphaBase for about $10 million. Report

> Florida's Bioheart has raised $4 million. Story

And Finally... Out of every 1,000 patients anesthetized for surgery, two at most wake up during their operation, which can trigger long-term psychological trauma. Release