Alliqua buys a rival; Bacterin ups its ortho sales;

@FierceMedDev: EndoGastric snags another $30M on the quest for reimbursement. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: AdvaMedUpdate hires former Congressional, White House, HHS and CMS staffer Riley Swinehart as VP of government affairs. | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@EmilyWFierce: Check out the latest FiercePharmaMarketing report to get the skinny on price hikes for 10 big brand drugs. Report | Follow @EmilyWFierce

@MichaelGFierce: Double-locked virus needs two enzyme 'keys' to release drugs. Story via FierceDrugDelivery | Follow @MichaelGFierce

> Wound care outfit Alliqua ($ALQA) has purchased smaller competitor Choice Therapeutics for $4 million in cash and stock. More

> Orthopedics player Bacterin ($BONE) grew its revenue by 3.4% to $8.9 million last quarter, posting a $4.1 million net loss. Results

> Fresh off a successful IPO, insulin pump manufacturer Tandem Diabetes Care ($TNDM) posted quarterly sales growth of 48%, grossing $8.1 million. News

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Corcept tanks as depression drug comes up short in Phase III. More | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Who will buy into AstraZeneca's "$5B" high-risk Alzheimer's drug? Story | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: Pfizer has a whole website devoted to its AstraZeneca designs, PfizerUpdate.com, replete with an infographic. Site | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: In Bhutan, there are only 8 ophthalmologists--about 90,000 patients for each eye doctor. Story | Follow @EmilyMFierce

> Cytomedix shutters R&D site after PhII failure. Item

> Roche and Exelixis tout PhI cancer combo with late-stage data on the way. Story

> Waiting for U.S. pols to block the Pfizer-AstraZeneca megamerger? Forget about it. More

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: Cancer drugs from J&J, Roche, Celgene and more rival last big oncology wave. Story | Follow @FiercePharma

@TracyStaton: Popular at FiercePharmaMarketing: Payers fret about the next drug doomsday: Pricey PCSK9 cholesterol meds. More | Follow @TracyStaton

@EricPFierce: CEO says Teva will close at least 11 plants, 15% of its network, and 16 more are being evaluated. Story from FiercePharmaManufacturing | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: Today, digital health contests like Bayer's. Tomorrow? Pharma needs digital disruption. More | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> FDA looks at effectiveness of generic blood pressure drugs. News

> Payers fret about the next drug doomsday: Pricey PCSK9 cholesterol meds. Article

Drug Delivery News

> Novel glaucoma drug delivery platform described at ARVO conference. More

> Boston Scientific launches Promus Premier drug-eluting stent in Japan. Item

> Icon begins pivotal late-stage trial of sustained-release postsurgery cataract treatment. Story

> Direct injection of drugs to back of eye shows potential. News

> Double-locked virus needs two enzyme 'keys' to release drugs. More

> Braeburn Pharmaceuticals to clinically test subdermal implant for treatment of opioid dependence. Article

Diagnostics News

> Ohio team touts promise of esophageal cancer biomarker and noninvasive screening test. News

> Accelerate Diagnostics' infectious disease tests draw $45M in new funding. More

> Biocept's new pharma industry cancer biomarker service sparks Nasdaq gains. Article

> Veracyte seals deal that opens Brazil market for its thyroid cancer Dx tech. Story

> France's Enterome pulls in $13.87M to pursue bowel inflammation biomarkers, companion Dx and Rx. More

Pharma Marketing News

> Drug ads miss the mark with patients who need treatment the most. News

> Keeping an M&A score? Here's the Big Pharma lineup, pre-megadeal. Story

> Add Apple's savvy to Big Pharma marketing, and what do you get? More

> 10 big brands keep pumping out big bucks, with a little help from price hikes. Report

> Cancer drugs from J&J, Roche, Celgene and more rival last big oncology wave. Story

> Payers already fretting about the next pharm-apocalypse: Pricey PCSK9 cholesterol meds. Article