While You Weren't Working

For those of you in the US, we hope you had a relaxing three-day weekend. Here are a few items you may have missed while sparing a thought for the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor and/or enjoying a cocktail. Not everyone took the weekend off ...

• Merck & Co said on Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Vienna that Cordaptive, it's extended-release Niacin plus flushing inhibitor, was effective at lowering LDL cholesterol while raising HDL. Reuters has the full story.
• The Observer takes a look at investor unrest at GlaxoSmithKline, and in particular institutions attempts to get their points across to the company's as-yet unchosen new CEO, who will take the reigns when JP Garnier retires in May 2008. You might recall the Telegraph running something along these lines back in May (and our comments at the time on succession speculation). We'll have more to say on this later in the week.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer weighs in on the state of drug marketing, and finds that drug samples and TV ads help drive uptake of medicines.
• Eli Lilly's new schizophrenia drug may offer safety and efficacy improvements over existing antipsychotics, according to results of a 200-patient Phase II trial. From Nature, via the New York Times.
• Acambis has received FDA approval of its ACAM2000 smallpox vaccine