Trice Medical gets $11.6M; Opinion: in defense of robotic surgery;

@FierceMedDev: Stryker delivers positive Q2 numbers but stays mum on inversion. ICYMI Friday | Follow @FierceMedDev

@MichaelGFierce: Delivering breast cancer drug through the skin grants disease prevention. FierceDrugDelivery article | Follow @MichaelGFierce

@VarunSaxena2: Venture capitalist spending bonanza lifts med tech investment in Q2. Report | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@EmilyWFierce: DC journo raises $75K on Kickstarter to fly drones over factory farms, circumvent "ag-gag" laws. More from NPR | Follow @EmilyWFierce

> Trice Medical announced the close of an $11.6 million Series B financing that will go to fund marketing for its diagnostic arthroscopy product, mi-eye. The lead investor was Safegaurd Sciences which holds a 9.6% position. Story

> Dr. Catherine Mohr, senior director of medical research at Intuitive Surgical ($ISRG), defends the use of robot-assisted surgery citing the importance of keeping procedures minimally invasive. Article

> Brainlab has introduced Elements Automatic Brain Metastases Planning, a new software which the company hopes will make planning for stereotactic radiosurgery easier. More

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Will AbbVie now emerge as the next megamerger target? More | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: New Science Ventures joins the biotech VC boom, plots $100M fund. News | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: Cutting jobs, ditching "unpromising" R&D programs -- $AGN is slowly becoming the company $VRX wants it to be. Just, you know, minus $VRX. | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: What?! Update on the Found Vials: There Weren't 6; There Were 327. (Not All of Them Were Smallpox.) More from Wired | Follow @EmilyMFierce

> Allergan aims ax at R&D, eliminating 1,500 jobs in bitter takeover fight. Report

> Cerecor raises $16M for PhII study of 'Special K' depression remedy. Article

> J&J partner Aduro grabs an FDA 'breakthrough' nod for its immuno-oncology combo. News

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: Tops this weekend: AbbVie finally gets Shire, its low tax base and enough new drugs to protect its future. News | Follow @FiercePharma

@TracyStaton: CVS Caremark lays out case for new specialty-drug pricing approach in JAMA editorial. More | Follow @TracyStaton

@EricPFierce: ICYMI: Teva says it is cooperating with probe by Israel into source of blood infections taking Teva product. FiercePharmaManufacturing story | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: Allergan plotting 1,500 job cuts as part of restructuring. Release | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Defensive Allergan plots 1,500 job cuts, hikes forecast to fight off Valeant. Article

> Animal health companies not exempt from FDA marketing regs, either. Item

> Roche CEO: No appetite for expensive megadeals here. Story

CRO News

> Amid global expansion, India's GVK focuses on clinical development. Story

> CRO Chiltern snags rival Ockham to bolster its oncology footprint. Report

> Post-buyout Harlan inks a CRO partnership with Fluofarma. Article

> Theorem eyes an Indian expansion with latest partnership. Story

> Catalent shoots for $872M in a blockbuster IPO. News

Biotech IT News

> Google-backed service provider gives clients direct control of robot-run lab. Report

> FDA adds recalls API as openFDA initiative gathers pace. News

> Bioinformatics skills help Codexis strike $25M deal with GSK. Story

> Report: Development IT hit hard in Novartis cutbacks. Article

> Novartis and Google team up to commercialize 'smart' contact lenses. Item

Animal Health News

> Seizures in horses in Kentucky focus attention on drug compounding. More

> Virbac H1 sales hurt by Iverhart recall in U.S. Report

> Sanofi's Merial revives heartworm treatment. Article

> Why is there increased activity in animal health IPOs? Item

> France's AB Science warned by FDA for its canine cancer drug promotion. Story

> Merck prods cattle producers to help it test the safety of withdrawn Zilmax. Article