Valeant walks away from ISTA bid; Grape seed extract could be promising for head and neck cancer;

@FierceBiotech: BREAKING: Roche wins landmark approval for targeted skin cancer drug vismodegib. News | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Cell Therapeutics pulls its pixantrone app, presumably so they can keep saying how certain they are of an approval. Release | Follow @JohnCFierce

@RyanMFierce: An example of a DNA sequencing success in medicine where children of $LIFE employee benefited. Article | Follow @RyanMFierce

@MarkHFierce: Grape seed extract is the latest potential cancer drug. More | Follow @MarkHFierce

> Valeant Pharmaceuticals ($VRX) is walking away from its bid to acquire ISTA for $353 million citing a lack of progress. Dealmakers note: Valeant CEO Michael Pearson loves to play hardball. Story

> An independent committee is recommending the continuation of the Phase III study for palifosfamide, according to Ziopharm. More

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: GSK is shopping for deals in Turkey, exec says; companies w/ CV drugs, manufacturing among possible targets--Bloomberg. More | Follow @FiercePharma

> Lipitor brand loses ground as generics take hold. Story

> FDA weighs crackdown on 'distracting images' in DTC ads. Article

> Ax hovers over 3,000 more AstraZeneca jobs, U.K. papers say. News

IT News

> Google Ventures, VCs backing tech focused on genomics. More

> U.K. genomics database plan faces hurdles. Story

> Covance's big IT budget gets thumbs down from analysts. Article

> Gamers tackle enzyme makeover, beat scientists' efforts. News

> Emerging player in DNA analysis joins forces with U. of Missouri. More

Medical Device News

> Abbott to cut 700 jobs as Promus sales decline. Story

> Roche's $5.7B Illumina bid risks standing alone. Article

> Covidien sees strength in medical device unit as profits rise. News

> KCI installs new CEO, chairman. More

And Finally... Investigators say that grape seed extract killed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Release