AstraZeneca wins European approval for opioid-induced constipation drug; EU health officials investigate GVK Bio for alleged fraud;

@FiercePharma: Did Merck pay $3B too much for Cubist? Analysts weigh impact of Cubicin patent loss. Story | Follow @FiercePharma

@CarlyHFierce: AbbVie's Humira competition begins with Cadila's biosimilar launch in India. More | Follow @CarlyHFierce

AstraZeneca ($AZN) scored European Union approval for Movantik, its opioid-induced constipation drug developed with Nektar Therapeutics. Story

European Union health officials are cracking down on contract research firm GVK Bio after several allegations of fraud at its clinical facility in India. More

Dutch pharmaceutical outfit Brocacef is snatching up medical supplies and equipment provider Mediq to create a company with combined sales of €2.1 billion ($2.6 billion). Story

Takeda revealed promising Phase III study data showing that Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients who received its Adcetris therapy after a stem cell transplant had a significantly improved survival rate compared to patients who received a placebo. More

AstraZeneca snatched up the lease on a new, 29,000-square-foot property in Cambridge, U.K. The building will accommodate between 150 and 200 members of the company's corporate staff. Story

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: Edwards gains option to acquire startup CardioKinetix in $50M financing. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@EmilyWFierce: Stryker's OtisMed to pay more than $80M to settle DOJ case over knee replacement surgical devices. Story | Follow @EmilyWFierce

Eurofins Scientific snaps up Boston Heart Diagnostics for $140M. Story

Brain sensors go wireless in Brown University study. More

Edwards looks to TAVR to convince Wall Street it can go higher after doubling in 2014. Article

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Bluebird posts more promising results with its rare disease therapy. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

@DamianFierce: So the billionaire Russian oligarch who bought Watson's Nobel medal for $4.1 million is giving it back because hey. More | Follow @DamianFierce

Pfizer strikes another immunotherapy deal to widen its oncology pipeline. News

Lilly and Incyte's oral arthritis drug aces its first Phase III test. Story

Circassia looks to higher doses to salvage ragweed drug after PhIIb miss. Article

Biotech Research News

Epizyme showcases a successful preclinical lymphoma program for third target. More

MicroRNA holds clues to predicting progression-free myeloma survival. Report

New malaria drug unleashes an immune system assault on infected cells. Story

Could alpha secretase offer a better approach to fighting Alzheimer's? More

PKC-epsilon pathway offers a new line of attack against cancer cells. Article

Pharma Manufacturing News

India's Zydus Cadila finds blood pressure med has embedded brown spots. Story

Ferring preps for first U.S. plant opening as it moves to New Jersey campus. More

FDA notches a win after Tennessee compounder pleads guilty. Report

Meda drops Recipharm contract; plant may be forced to close. Story

Daewoong inks deal to build $188M facility in South Korea. Article

And Finally… Harvard University researchers are moving one step closer to creating a fat-burning pill that could one day replace the treadmill. Story