Centocor launched itself into the blogosphere with the debut of its corporate blog at cnto411.com.

Friday's approval of Genentech's Avastin to treat breast cancer caught many on Wall Street off guard and could represent a change in the way the agency measures the effectiveness of cancer medicines.

Pfizer has entered into a deal to acquire publicly-held Houston biotech firm Encysive Pharmaceuticals for $195 million.

Altor BioScience Corporation entered into an agreement with Genentech for exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize a class of antibody-based tissue factor antagonists.

Genzyme has entered into a $325 million licensing deal with Isis Pharmaceuticals to commercialize mipomersen, Isis' lipid-lowering treatment for high-risk cardiovascular patients.

Sepracor has entered a licensing deal with Bial for the development and commercialization of Bial's anti-epileptic compound BIA 2-093 in the US and Canada.

Trial results for an Amgen pipeline drug showed the biologic is comparable to existing therapies in its ability to boost bone density in women with cancer.

Yesterday's thumbs-down by an FDA advisory panel may squelch not only a Genentech bid to get Avastin approved for treating breast cancer but other cancer drugs may now have a tougher time proving their survival rates justify label extensions, an analyst said.

Novartis said it will expand its collaboration with German biotech firm MorphoSys as the two companies enter a 10-year deal valued at $600 million focused on discovery and development of antibody-based biological drugs.

Wyeth named Joe Mahady president, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and SVP, Wyeth.