> Sutro Biopharma announced today the first ever achievement of therapeutic protein production at 100 L scale using a cell-free synthesis technology, a milestone which triggers a $15 million second tranche of its previously announced Series B financing. Release
> Osiris Therapeutics is accelerating the transfer of the Osteocel business to NuVasive. NuVasive will assume responsibility for Osteocel processing by April 10, 2009 and has removed contingencies applicable to $30 million of the $45 million in remaining milestone payments. As a result, Osiris is cutting 80 jobs. Release
> In a BioIndustry Association survey of 295 UK-based companies, more than three quarters of respondents that access to capital had become more challenging over the last 12 months. Seventy-six percent of companies seeking to raise equity finance have experienced some level of difficulty; of these, 47 percent were not able to obtain all the finance required and a further 37 percent were unable to obtain any finance. Release
> Color the FDA skeptical. Agency staff said the case for Avastin use against brain cancer is less than compelling. Report
> To deal or not to deal--that is the current pharma question. And Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter's (photo) choice is "not." At least when it comes to mega-mergers, the Lilly chief not only forswears the activity for himself, but is less-than-complimentary when it comes to his rivals' M&A announcements. Report
> We can't decide which bit of Wy-Pfi news is more interesting today: The fact that Wyeth chief Bernard Poussot won't get the $10 million change-in-control bonus we previously reported, but $53 million. Report
> We hear Johnson & Johnson is twisting a few arms at Schering-Plough. The Financial Times quotes sources close to the talks, saying that J&J is prepping for a legal challenge to Schering's "reverse merger" with Merck. Report
> RegeneRx has announced Phase II clinical trial evaluating the safety and wound-healing efficacy of RGN-137 for the treatment of patients with venous stasis ulcers. The drug candidate was found to be safe and well-tolerated at all three dose levels, with no dose-limiting or drug-related adverse events, which was the primary objective of the trial. Report
And Finally... According to an SEC filing, an unnamed company--referred to as Company X--expressed interest in buying Wyeth but couldn't match Pfizer's offer. Report