Pfizer Inc said today it has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for additional information on the company's application for lasofoxifene. The investigational compound is currently under review for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at increased risk of fracture.

The US Department of Health and Human Services, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (HHS, BARDA) has awarded Novartis Vaccines a contract for up to USD 486 million over eight years to support the design, construction, validation, and licensing of U.S. cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing facilities in Holly Springs, North Carolina, to provide a pre-pandemic supply of influenza vaccine and to provide the capacity to manufacture 150 million doses of pandemic vaccine within six months of declaration of an influenza pandemic.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced that it has reached resolution with the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) and the Office of Consumer Litigation of the Department of Justice regarding the previously-reported government investigation into the company's past U.S. marketing and promotional practices for the antipsychotic medication Zyprexa(R) (olanzapine).

Nycomed and EffRx have announced a licensing agreement on EffRx' drug EX101 (effervescent alendronate) for the treatment of osteoporosis. Under the agreement, Nycomed will receive the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise the effervescent formulation of alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in a large number of countries worldwide. EX101 presents a significant enhancement to Nycomed's osteoporosis portfolio.

Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter for SAPHRIS(TM) (asenapine) sublingual tablets in the acute treatment of schizophrenia in adults and in the acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults as monotherapy.

European clinicians will have a new weapon to combat cervical cancer with the introduction of Abbott Molecular's real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based diagnostic test for human papillomavirus (HPV). The CE-marked assay can identify patients infected with specific viral genotypes known to pose the highest risk for progression to cervical cancer.

Genzyme Corp. (Nasdaq: GENZ) and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISIS) have begun two new studies of mipomersen, a novel lipid-lowering drug in late-stage development, and a third is currently screening patients. These three trials will provide additional data on mipomersen in high-risk patient populations.