The news summaries appearing in BIO SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The information is not compiled or summarized by BIO. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at bio@smartbrief.com.

Today's Top Story

• Novartis leads list of 2012's 20 biggest spenders for R&D
  Novartis, Roche Holding and Merck & Co. topped this ranking of biopharmaceutical companies based on spending for research and development last year. Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson came in fourth and fifth, respectively. Also making the top 10 were Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly and Co., AstraZeneca and Abbott Laboratories. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News/Insight&Intelligence blog (3/12)     

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Health Care & Policy

• New U.S. stockpile of smallpox drug ignites debate
  The U.S. government's purchase of $463 million worth of smallpox drug Arestvyr in preparation for a bioterrorism attack has drawn criticism from some bioweapons experts, who say it is excessive given the current stockpile of smallpox vaccine. Siga Technologies President Eric Rose said that the 2 million supplies of its drug Arestvyr "is on the low end" considering that "smallpox is just as contagious and has 30 times the mortality" of the influenza virus. One biosecurity expert said high prices are needed to induce companies to make drugs that may have no use in routine health care. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (3/12)     

• Biotech rookie, wild card and comeback players of the year
  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is Luke Timmerman's pick for comeback player of 2013 after settling early disputes and forging ahead with RNA interference drugs. Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is a wild card as it awaits market response to its irritable bowel syndrome drug, and Hyperion Therapeutics is living up to early promise to become rookie of the year, Timmerman writes. He picks Alkermes for "steal of the draft" award and Clay Siegall of Seattle Genetics for manager of the year. Xconomy (3/11)     

• Biogen submits hemophilia A drug for FDA approval
  Biogen Idec has filed a biologics license application with the FDA for approval to use recombinant factor VIII Fc fusion protein as a treatment for hemophilia A. The drug belongs to a new class of long-lasting clotting factor treatments. The application was based on positive results of the late-stage A-LONG trial. RTT News (3/12)     

• Pfizer halts development of hep C drug filibuvir
  Pfizer said it would stop developing its midstage hepatitis C drug filibuvir, or PF-00868554. Potential competitors included new hepatitis C therapies from Gilead Sciences and AbbVie. "We continue to prioritize our [research and development] capital allocation to drive the next wave of innovative medicines and vaccines that bring benefit to patients and value to health care systems around the world," Pfizer's Victoria Davis said. Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (3/11)     

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Company & Financial News

• Shire bolsters rare disease pipeline with Premacure buy
  Shire has acquired Swedish biotech firm Premacure. Premacure is developing a protein replacement therapy for prevention of retinopathy of prematurity, a potentially blinding eye disease in premature babies. The acquisition is expected to strengthen Shire's rare disease drug business and extend its product offerings into neonatology. Reuters (3/12)     

Global Developments

• Activartis' cancer drug gets orphan designation in Europe
  The European Medicines Agency granted orphan-drug status to Activartis' cancer immunotherapy AV0113 for the treatment of glioma. The drug is intended to prime the patient's immune system to fight tumors. Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (3/12)     

• U.K.'s Biomedical Catalyst fund announces 2nd-round grants
  Fifty-one biomedical firms will share more than $70 million in a second round of grants from the U.K.'s Biomedical Catalyst fund to help move life sciences projects through the "valley of death." Twenty-five feasibility studies, 18 early-stage projects and eight late-stage projects received awards. The fund has encouraged more private-sector investment in U.K. biotech companies, allowing them to grow faster and engage in more research, according to a BioIndustry Association report. PharmaTimes (U.K.) (3/12)     

Food & Agriculture

• Whole Foods to demand labels on biotech foods
  Whole Foods Market will require all biotech foods it carries to be labeled. The Biotechnology Industry Organization said it supports voluntary measures but not mandates. "BIO does not support attempts to label food in a way that is misleading or that confuses consumers -- for example, by suggesting that there is a difference in safety or nutrition between biotech food and organic food, when there is none," the BIO statement said. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)/The Associated Press (3/8), Ag Professional online (3/12)     

Industrial & Environmental

• Report: Cellulosic ethanol cost could match corn by 2016
  A survey of 11 of the biggest cellulosic ethanol companies by Bloomberg New Energy Finance says that cellulosic ethanol production could become price competitive with corn-based ethanol by 2016. "If our survey proves accurate, cellulosic ethanol will make meaningful inroads into the vehicle-fuel market during the last years of this decade," said Harry Boyle of BNEF. Bloomberg (3/12)     

News from BIO

• Are you taking full advantage of your membership?
  BIO's cost-savings program, BIO Business Solutions, is helping 2,700 companies nationwide save on the cost of essential products and services. Members of BIO and 43 state and regional biotech associations are eligible to receive preferential pricing and other benefits at no additional cost beyond their membership dues. VWR International, FedEx, Office Depot and Business Wire are just a few of the industry leading providers that offer special pricing through this members-only program. Learn more or enroll here.     

SmartQuote

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