1. Novartis plans to acquire French biotech Advanced Accelerator Applications for $3.9 billion. The acquisition would give the Swiss drugmaker a new technology platform for developing cancer therapies. (Endpoints News)
2. The FDA hired Nina Devlin, former head of global communications at Mylan, to be its senior communications adviser. (TheHill)
3. Midwest health system Sanford Health said it prescribed nearly 25% fewer opioids in Q3 of 2017 compared to the first three months of 2016. (NYT)
4. A group of investors that includes drug distributors such as AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health are filing shareholder resolutions with companies that market opioids, asking them to consider the risks of doing business in this sector. (Reuters)
5. ICYMI: Former CEO and president of Insys Therapeutics John Kapoor was charged with bribing doctors to prescribe a highly-addictive version of pain-reliever fentanyl. (Bloomberg)
