Sanofi nabs EU approval for Toujeo; Shire defends ultralow tax rate;

@FiercePharma: Daiichi Sankyo has solid chance to pare debt, reinvest on Sun stake sale, Moody's says. More from FiercePharmaAsia | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: Bayer to close a vet med plant in Missouri it bought from Teva. 130 workers to lose jobs. More from FiercePharmaManufacturing | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: Would any of you guys want to read a special report entitled "The secret first initials of biopharma CEOs and what they stand for"...? | Follow @CarlyHFierce

Sanofi ($SNY) won European approval for its new basal insulin, Toujeo, intended as a follow-up to the blockbuster Lantus treatment that could face biosimilar competition this year. Release

Dublin-based Shire ($SHPG) called its tax practices "mainstream" among multinational companies, in answer to shareholder questions about its $56 million 2014 tax bill, on $3.4 billion in profits. Report

At least one analyst figures Teva's ($TEVA) Mylan ($MYL) bid would pay off even at a price of $100 per share, the figure Mylan quoted as a minimum starting point for negotiations. Report

MannKind ($MNKD) is adding a 12-unit cartridge to its Afrezza line-up, a set of inhaled insulin products marketed by Sanofi. Release

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: Two U.S. hospitals to test startup's novel medical device malware detection software. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: FDA bans manufacturing of Medtronic's infusion pump, citing violation of quality system regs. News | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@EmilyWFierce: Scanadu ropes in $35M for smartphone tricorder diagnostic device. More | Follow @EmilyWFierce

Belgian molecular Dx player Biocartis raises €100M to advance recent launch of Idylla system. Story

'Stealthy' Medina raises $6M in debt for cerebral aneurysm device after CE mark last fall. Article

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: ICYMI yesterday: Celgene bags a build-to-buy biotech in $485M cancer deal. Report | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Biogen CEO Scangos commits $2.5B to a high stakes Alzheimer's gamble. More | Follow @JohnCFierce

Resverlogix gets a $116M China drug development deal, stokes buyout buzz. More

FDA bats down Merck's sugammadex in third rejection. Item

Galapagos' arthritis drug shines in another PhIIb study as M&A rumors simmer. Article

Drug Delivery News

Presage's multiple-cancer-drug injection device shows promising first-in-human results. Story

Topical gel for migraine shows promise in trials, can penetrate transdermal barrier. Item

3M says its new intravenous port dressing will make drug delivery easier and fight off site infections. Report

AbbVie's FDA-approved Duopa gel for Parkinson's skates through yearlong study. Story

Generex announces second medical marijuana outlicensing deal for its drug delivery tech. Article

Pharma Manufacturing News

Texas cancer center guilty of selling foreign-made Avastin. Item

Wockhardt recalling all pre-ban products still in the U.S. More

Mylan recalls injected cancer meds made for Pfizer. Story

GSK licks Nicorette manufacturing problems; 'Minis' are back. Article

Lilly's Elanco to unload former Novartis vax plant. News

Pharma Asia News

Eisai, Nihon Medi-Physics plan work on dementia with Lewy bodies. Report

India mulls adopting international standards on drug inspections, manufacturing. Story

Cipla leans toward compromise in India court case over Onbrez from Novartis. More

Japan's Panasonic joins Toshiba in rush to medical devices. Article

Daiichi Sankyo has solid chance to pare debt, reinvest on Sun stake sale, Moody's says. Item

And Finally... Suspected bird flu cases have popped up in 5 Iowa poultry farms, affecting some 6 million birds. Report