Thoratec, St. Jude near completion; FTC backs down on Steris, Synergy;

@FierceMedDev: ICYMI yesterday: GE Ventures reaffirms commitment to VC with med tech startup program. Article | Follow @FierceMedDev

@VarunSaxena2: #AdvaMed15: CMS has 30 people to evaluate 30,000 diagnostic tests, but more FDA oversight is likely. More | Follow @VarunSaxena2

@EmilyWFierce: FDA OKs expanded label for InSightec's noninvasive ultrasound fibroid device. News | Follow @EmilyWFierce

Thoratec ($THOR) shareholders signed off on its $3.4 billion acquisition by St. Jude Medical ($STJ). The deal is expected to close on Oct. 8. More

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has dropped its bid to drop the Steris-Synergy sterilization merger. More

The Mayo Clinic will hold an Oct. 9-10 symposium on the BRAIN Initiative, a research program championed by President Obama. It will include representatives from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Cyberonics, Greatbatch and Siemens to discuss their role in the public/private partnership. More

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Wyss spins out pathogen-capturing tech into upstart biotech. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: CDK 4/6 inhibition (no. 2) With FDA 'breakthrough' in hand, Eli Lilly shoots for accelerated abemaciclib OK. Report | Follow @JohnCFierce

With FDA 'breakthrough' in hand, Eli Lilly shoots for accelerated abemaciclib OK. Story

The most hated man in biotech is still confident of a comeback. Editor's corner

Octapharma buys into Glycotope with an €80M cash deal. News

Feeling the biotech chill, CytomX stumbles onto Nasdaq with an $80M IPO. Article

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: Cipla, Serum partner to provide vaccines in S. Africa. More | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: Sanofi's Kansas City, MO plant back on the block as its August 2016 closing looms. Story | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: It's a big day today. Image | Follow @CarlyHFierce

Oncologists' pricing pushback mounts as docs snub costly me-too drugs. News

Big Pharma teams up to defeat drug pricing proposal in California. More

Vaccines News

FDA puts clinical hold on Advaxis' cervical cancer vaccine. More

Allegheny General Hospital joins Sanofi's Cdiffense PhIII trial. Report

Cipla, Serum partner to provide vaccines in S. Africa. Story

Pfizer completes acquisition of two GSK meningitis vaccines. Item

With PhII data, Genocea's herpes jab continues on blockbuster path, CEO says. Article

CRO News

WuXi takes its genomics biz to Qatar with new hospital partnership. Report

Evotec inks a $4.9M deal for oncology R&D. More

PPD signs a pair of federal deals for battlefield health, flu readiness. Story

INC bolsters its Phase I platform with new cardiac tech. Item

Charles River signs a trio of deals in drug discovery. Article

Pharma Manufacturing News

Cipla moves forward with deal for plant in Algeria. Item

Investor buys Italian CDMO with plans to roll up others. Report

Hospira manufacturing mess-up leads to PharMEDium recalls. Story

Sanofi puts Allegra plant in U.S. back up for sale. Article

Pharma Asia News

Japan's SymBio partners with Medicines Co. on pain reliever Ionsys. Item

China gets its due with Nobel, but research problems still remain. Report

China Biologic subsidiary inks deal to source raw plasma. More

Singapore's TauRx completes $135M fundraising for PhIII Alzheimer's work. Article

China's BeiGene snaps up Pfizer executive to run manufacturing ops. Story