Bausch + Lomb licenses surgical tech; CrossBay picks up regulatory nods for biopsy device;

@FierceMedDev: Ariosa faces new patent pushback from rival Illumina. Story | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: RT from FierceMedicalDevices: Covidien quarterly sales up 3% to $2.6 billion. News | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@EmilyWFierce: New device from scientists @MESImedical could speed up the diagnosis for peripheral artery disease. More | Follow @EmilyWFierce

@MichaelGFierce: Imaging technique maps transdermal drug migration. Item | Follow @MichaelGFierce

> Bausch + Lomb has signed a deal with Cirle to use the company's surgical navigation system for eye procedures. News

> CrossBay Medical picked up FDA, Health Canada and CE mark clearances for its SonoSure device, used for imaging and biopsy collection. More

> Private equity outfits GTCR and Golden Gate Capital are the two remaining bidders for Phillips-Medisize, a contract device manufacturer, according to The Wall Street Journal. Item

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Forest lands Furiex and expands GI business in $1.5B buyout deal. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Pfizer and AstraZeneca spent a combined $11.5B on R&D last year, with mixed results. You can imagine how much of that would be cut after a merger. | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: Biotech is finally invited to the deal parade: Forest buying Furiex for $1.1B plus an eluxadoline-tied CVR. Release | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: "We're at a very unique point in biology," says Johns Hopkins Medicine's Aravinda Chakrararti. Biology is complicated but not random. | Follow @EmilyMFierce

> Ignoring harsh lessons, Pfizer pursues $100B deal to buy struggling AstraZeneca. More

> OncoGenex, Teva flag a failed PhIII for prostate cancer drug. Article

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: Why pay $100B for AstraZeneca? Let Pfizer's CEO count the reasons. Story | Follow @FiercePharma

@TracyStaton: Which Big Pharmas aren't making deal headlines (at least not yet)? Roche. Sanofi. J&J. Bristol-Myers. They're definitely outnumbered. | Follow @TracyStaton

@EricPFierce: Analyst says Bayer may sale plastics biz for $10B, use that to help fund deal for Merck OTC biz, or Zoetis. More | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: ICYMI Friday... Experts: MERS vaccine is possible--but is it worth it? Article | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Experts foresee premium pricing for overdose-fighting injector Evzio. Item

> Irreconcilable differences? Allergan investors wary of suitor Valeant's cost-slashing style. More

> Merck could snag $14B from consumer biz as Bayer, Reckitt race to the wire. News

CRO News

> Biogen and Quintiles ink a deep-seated deal to boost R&D efficiency. More

> Medidata's sales leap on spike in eClinical demand. Story

> Harlan picks a partner and expands in Southeast Asia. Article

> Catalent ticks up revenue as IPO pends. Report

> Big Pharma megadeals could spell trouble for CROs. News

> Bristol-Myers deepens CMO deal with Samsung. Item

Biotech IT News

> NIH lays out plan to work exome data into clinical research. More

> Wellcome Trust order helps Illumina blast past HiSeq X Ten sale forecasts. Story

> Y Combinator seeking software-enabled biotechs after raising funding limit. Article

> Feds fret over threat of healthcare data theft. News

> U.K. seeks help prioritizing $3.4B of Big Data projects. Report

> Google patents show plans for smart contact lenses. Item