1. Novartis said it expects slow growth in 2017 as it spins off its eye care business Alcon, which saw flat fourth-quarter sales. The drugmaker also announced that Erelzi, its biosimilar copy of Amgen’s psoriasis drug Enbrel, will not go on the market until 2018 due to a patent protection challenge by Amgen. (Reuters)
2. Biotech Actelion’s pulmonary arterial hypertension drug Opsumit missed the primary endpoint of a phase-III trial. The setback is unlikely to impact a potential deal with Johnson & Johnson, however, according to analysts. (PMLive)
3. HHS nominee Tom Price denied conflict of interest claims concerning his investments in pharmaceutical companies’ stocks. He also answered questions about what a replacement for the Affordable Care Act would look like at a Senate confirmation hearing. (NYT)
4. Roche said it received a priority review from the FDA for its rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra to treat giant cell arteritis, a chronic autoimmune condition. (Reuters)
5. Philips is in talks with the Department of Justice about a “civil matter” related to its heart defibrillators. The FDA previously raised reliability concerns about the defibrillators. The talks have not led to a lawsuit, the company’s CEO said. (Bloomberg)