Merck KGaA sees higher profits on cost cutting; Daiichi chair steps down amid Ranbaxy sale;

@FiercePharma: GlaxoSmithKline exec blindsided by Chinese bribery charges: Reuters. Report| Follow @FiercePharma

@TracyStaton: Words, words, and overheated words fly as U.K. officials keep grilling Pfizer. ICYMI yesterday| Follow @TracyStaton

@EricPFierce: Canada orders Biolyse to halt production of injectable drug paclitaxel at a plant in Ontario.More from FiercePharmaManufacturing | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: ICYMI: This week's issue of FiercePharmaMarketing: Report | Follow @CarlyHFierce

Germany-based Merck KGaA said cost cuts help offset negative currency effects in its first-quarter results, which included a slight rise in earnings to 807 million euros, or about $1.11 billion. Report

The chairman of Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo, Takashi Shoda, is stepping down as the company offloads the troubled Indian generics company Ranbaxy Laboratories, whose acquisition he engineered. Report

India's Wockhardt recalled 109,000 bottles of its generic version of the heart pill Toprol XL in the U.S., after the pills failed dissolution tests. Report

Reckitt Benckiser signed on to develop and sell XenoPort's drug to treat alcoholism, with a $20 million up front payment and up to $120 million in milestones. Report

Slovenia's Krka posted a 17% drop in first-quarter profits to €42.5 million, blaming the results on negative currency effects that took a €14 million bite out of earnings. Report

Medical Device News

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: J&J's new incubator opens its arms to med tech startups. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: Interesting FDA meeting summary. "The following questions were discussed:" [copy Qs from preview] [paste]. More | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@MichaelGFierce: Boston College team makes zinc nano-cages for 'smart' cancer drug delivery. ICYMI from FierceDrugDelivery | Follow @MichaelGFierce

@EmilyWFierce: Stabilizing spoon counteracts tremors, helps Parkinson's patients eat. More from NPR | Follow @EmilyWFierce

Boston Scientific to buy Bayer's device unit for $415 million. More

Refuse to Accept policy not leading to faster approvals. Story

Purdue engineering students develop device to test pacemaker lead attachment. Article

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: AstraZeneca: Coming up from behind--fast--with top cancer programs. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: ZS Pharma looks to $86M IPO to fund PhIII hyperkalemia studies. News | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: NY Times "the only newsroom in the country that is actually better than it was a generation ago," reports NY Times. More | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: Investigational treatment may provide relief for asthma. More from FierceBiotechResearch | Follow @EmilyMFierce

Novartis-backed Sorbent grabs first tranche in $15M heart therapy round. More

Bristol-Myers Squibb: It's all about the 'breakthrough' drug nivolumab now. Report

Bluebird bio buoyed by news of looming trial data. Item

Pharma Manufacturing News

The man behind Daiichi Sankyo buyout of Ranbaxy gives up chairman's role. More

Daiichi Sankyo turns over domestic logistics to Yasuda Warehouse. Report

Hospira says it can prevent shortage after Canada closes Biolyse plant. Article

Wockhardt recalling 110,000 bottles of generic Toprol XL. More

Couple who ran wholesaling scam plead guilty. News

Vaccines News

Mayo Clinic: Massive dose of measles vax killed cancer. Item

Computer model can boost child vaccination rates while cutting costs. More

MERS an 'emerging market opportunity,' Novavax CFO says. Report

People most in need of Merck's shingles jab often not vaccinated. Story

Sanofi steps up meningitis marketing amid lagging Menactra sales. Article

And Finally... Honey bees crucial to crop pollination are still dying off at a significant rate, a new report states. Report