ACS pushes for patient testing in pharmacies

Working with UK pharmacies is likely to form part of the future organic growth of Advanced Computer Software, which has plans to help consolidate the primary care market of the NHS

• IP Group takes 20% stake in Fusion
• EA to pay $275m cash for Playfish

A sector locked in its cell

The venture capital model has hampered efforts to create a thriving stem cell sector in the UK and wasted the chance to steal a march on the US, says Jonathan Guthrie

S&N quarterly profits rise to $173m

The medical device equipment supplier offered a cautious outlook even as pre-tax profits rose 45% in the three months to the end of September

IMS Health in $5.2bn leveraged buy-out

The prescription-drug data provider has agreed to sell itself to TPG Capital and Canada Pension Plan’s investment board in what is the biggest such deal this year

Roche’s Seoul offices raided in Tamiflu probe

South Korean prosecutors suspect that they Swiss drugs group illegally provided swine flu treatment to staff of HSBC and Novartis amid fears of a widespread outbreak

CVS shares plunge after losing drug contracts

The drugstore and benefit management company saw its shares fall more than 20 per cent after it announced the loss of $3.7bn of prescription management contracts for 2010

Lex: TPG / IMS Health

TPG, which this year said it had snubbed 140 LBO opportunities, has jumped back on the wagon to lead the year’s largest

Lex: US health insurers

For the managed care companies at the centre of America’s health system, the political horse-trading has sent their shares gyrating