Nothing's quite as dry as patent law, but many would make the argument that nothing's quite as important to biotechnology companies, either, as intellectual property in general and the legal protection thereof. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

Amgen Inc.'s Aranesp (darbepoetin alpha) for oncology applications won FDA approval, and the competitive race that began last year between the company and erythropoietin licensee Johnson & Johnson will begin heating up shortly. (BioWorld Today)

Hard market times did not deter MedImmune Inc. from putting together a venture capital subsidiary that the company said will invest up to $100 million in other biotechnology firms. (BioWorld Today)

These are the days of Amgen Inc. All eyes were on the biotechnology giant last week, when its $10.3 billion buyout of Immunex Corp. was completed although for less money than originally expected, it was still the largest deal in the industry thus far and as the deadline came for an FDA decision on Aranesp (darbepoetin alpha) in oncology. (BioWorld Financial Watch)

Versicor Inc. said it extended a pair of unrelated deals - one with Novartis AG for antibacterials and one with Pharmacia Corp. for antibiotics. (BioWorld Today)

With a product in one Phase III trial and about to start another in peripheral bypass graft surgery, Corgentech Inc. took an infusion of $50 million in Series C financing that gives it enough cash to last "through the first or second quarter of 2004," said Richard Powers, vice president and chief financial officer. (BioWorld Today)

Just when the market slowdown and summer's dog days had cast a torpor over the land, Pfizer Inc. sent a blast of cooling news across the pharmaceutical landscape, disclosing that it signed an agreement to buy Pharmacia Corp. in a $60 billion stock swap. (BioWorld Today)