PPD, Inc. will acquire BioDuro, a preclinical CRO, as a follow-up to its purchase last month of Excel PharmaStudies, both of which are major transactions; we reflected on the huge difference between how China and the US go about creating “life science clusters”; China enrolled a record number of students in American universities during 2008-9; China Cord Blood listed on the NYSE and also completed a secondary offering; Advanced BioMedical signed an agreement in China to develop its bio-absorbable material in new applications; China Medicine Corp. found investors who may put $59.5 million in the company; Jennerex licensed the China rights for its novel cancer drug to Lee’s Pharma; a wound healing product made by Oculus was approved for animal use; GlaxoSmithKline will begin manufacturing its treatment for flu, Relenza, in China; Goldman Sachs said Pfizer will see $3 billion of China sales in 2012; WuXi PharmaTech (????) reported a modest increase in Q3 revenues and raised guidance; Sinovac Biotech (????????????) released a stellar Q3 report due to flu vaccine revenues; Tongjitang Chinese Medicines (?????) continues to report declining sales; and American Oriental Bioengineering (??????) said Q3 revenues rose 12% but net income fell 39%. More details...

Stock Symbols: (NSEQ: PPDI) (NYSE: CO) (OTCBB: ABMT) (OTCBB: CHME) (NSDQ: OCLS) (NYSE: GSK) (NYSE: PFE)  (NYSE: WX) (NSDQ: SVA) (NYSE: TCM) (NYSE: AOB)

PPD, Inc. is quickly building up its China-based CRO capability. The company announced it will acquire BioDuro LLC, a CRO based in Beijing whose 660 employees focus on drug discovery. The acquisition complements PPD’s purchase of Excel PharmaStudies earlier this month. Excel is a CRO that conducts Phase II through Phase IV clinical trials from its offices throughout China. PPD did not disclose financial details of either transaction. More details...

Stock Symbol: (NSDQ: PPDI)

ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) presented data at the AACR-NCI-EORTC meeting in Boston demonstrating the capabilities of the Company’s proprietary drug discovery platform to generate a class of small molecules with significant therapeutic potential.Art's Way Manufacturing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARTW), announces its wholly owned subsidiary, Art's Way Scientific, Inc. - Buildings For Science - will be providing 6 modular swine facilities for breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery and finisher operations.BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPAX), a specialty pharmaceutical company developing products for female sexual health, including LibiGel® for th treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), applauds the efforts of Boehringer Ingelheim to develop a therapy to treat this unmet medical need. Cannabis Science Inc. (NASD OTCBB: CBIS) an emerging pharmaceutical cannabis company, is hailing the call by the American Medical Association's House of Delegates for “marijuana's status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines."Cadus Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: KDUS) announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.Derma Sciences, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: DSCI) a specialty medical device/pharmaceutical company focused on advanced wound care, announced it has filed an S-1 Registration Statement to offer 1,500,000 shares of its common stock. Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENZN) announced data from its pipeline programs will be presented at the 2009 EORTC-NCI-AACR (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-National Cancer Institute-American Association for Cancer Research) annual meeting being held November 16-19, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts.Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) announced it will present at the Lazard Capital Markets Sixth Annual Healthcare Conference, which is being held Nov. 17-18, at the St. Regis Hotel in New York.Health Grades, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGRD), the leading healthcare ratings company, announced Kerry Hicks, President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Grade, will be presenting at the Sidoti & Company, LLC New York II Emerging Growth Institutional Investor Forum at The Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York on Friday, November 20, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE AMEX: INO) reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009.Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (NYSE: MJN) announced it intends to file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which includes details of a proposed exchange offer whereby Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) shareholders can exchange some, none or all of their shares of BMS common stock for shares of Mead Johnson common stock.Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), a bioscience company focused on developing sustainable solutions for plastics, chemicals and energy, announced the complete on of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 3,450,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $9.00 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $31 million.  NovaDel Pharma Inc. (NYSE:NVD), a specialty pharmaceutical company developing oral spray formulations for a broad range of marketed treatments, reported financial results for its third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009.Neogen Corporation (Nasdaq: NEOG) announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 3-for-2 stock split. OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIP) announced the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will review the use of Tarceva® (erlotinib) as a first-line maintenance therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not progressed following first-line treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy at its December 16, 2009 meeting.PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) announced it has entered an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. to develop and commercialize two Phase II-ready therapeutic compounds, one to treat diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-d) and the other to treat complicated skin and skin structure and respiratory infections.Roche`s (SWX:RO) (SWX:ROG) (Pink Sheets: RHHBY) RealTime ready Influenza A/H1N1 Detection Set for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NasdaqGM:SPPI), a commercial-stage biotechnology company with a primary focus in oncology, announced it has been selected for addition to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index® (Nasdaq: NBI).Targacept, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRGT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of drugs known as NNR Therapeutics™, announced it has been selected for addition to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ: NBI) effective with the U.S. market open on Monday, November 23, 2009.ZOLL Medical Corporation (Nasdaq GS: ZOLL), a manufacturer of medical devices and related software solutions, announced the R Series® defibrillators with new monitoring capability added as well as its new intravascular temperature management solutions are being exhibited in Booth #1417 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2009 November 15-17th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Biotech investors interested in seeing more details about these companies and a full list of their related stories can do so by typing the stock ticker symbol into the Stock Quotes box on the right side of the page.AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVNR) announced the Company will present at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, November 18th at 3:15 p.m. Eastern time (12:15 p.m. Pacific time) at the St. Regis in New York.Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (OTC:ADMP), announced it’s wholly owned subsidiary, Adamis Labs has now secured distribution contracts and initial stocking orders from the three major wholesalers of prescription drugs in the U.S.Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALXN) announced Dr. Leonard Bell, Chief Executive Officer of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, will present at Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York City at 10:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ:BRKR) announced it will present at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at 10:55 AM Eastern Standard Time in New York City.

Covidien (NYSE:COV) will present at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York on Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRIS), a drug development company seeking to develop next generation targeted small molecule drug candidates for cancer treatment, announced the Company will be presenting at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference at 3:45 p.m. EST on November 18, 2009, in New York City.

Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE:ENZ), a leading vertically integrated clinical lab, life sciences and therapeutic biotechnology company, announced Barry Weiner, President, and David Goldberg, Vice President, Corporate Development, will be presenting at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 3:40 PM at The St. Regis Hotel in New York, N.Y.

IMS Health (NYSE: RX), the world’s leading provider of market intelligence to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, announced the upcoming launch of IMS Oncology QuantifierTM, a comprehensive, clinically rich analytical tool that enables the company’s clients to assess treatment opportunities and guide commercial decisions in the $48 billion global oncology market.

ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMGN), a biotechnology company that develops targeted anticancer products, announced Howard Pien was elected to its Board of Directors at today’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

LecTec Corporation (OTC:LECT) announced it has reached a settlement with Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. on outstanding patent litigation related to LecTec’s U.S. Patent Nos. 5,536,263 and 5,741,510.

MS Health (NYSE:RX), the world’s leading provider of market intelligence to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, announced the upcoming launch of IMS Oncology QuantifierTM, a comprehensive, clinically rich analytical tool that enables the company’s clients to assess treatment opportunities and guide commercial decisions in the $48 billion global oncology market.NexMed, Inc. (Nasdaq:NEXM), a developer of innovative transdermal products based on the NexACT® drug delivery technology, announced it raised $750,000 in gross proceeds from the issuance of new convertible notes due December 31, 2011 (the “Notes”), which are secured by a mortgage on NexMed’s facility in East Windsor, New Jersey.

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) a clinical-stage vaccine company, announced today that John Trizzino, Senior Vice President, International and Government Alliances, will be presenting at the Influenza Congress USA 2009.

Chief Research Officer Morris S. Whitcup, Ph.D., of ORC Guideline (NASDAQ:IUSA) will present findings of the company’s recent research on the impact of social media on fair balance and pharmaceutical marketing at a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) public hearing later this week.

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq:PPDI) announced its board of directors declared a cash dividend for the fourth quarter of 2009 under its annual cash dividend policy. The quarterly cash dividend will equal $0.15 per share.

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ:SNTA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, announced the Company will be presenting at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m. (ET) at the St. Regis New York.Tongjitang Chinese Medicines Company (NYSE: TCM), a leading specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on the development, manufacturing, marketing and selling of modernized traditional Chinese medicine in China, announced it plans to announce its third quarter 2009 financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, November 18, 2009.