Jan. 3 Company Quick Takes: Illumina, PacBio call off deal; plus Innovax, Innate, J&J-Pulmatrix, Intrexon, Janssen-Provention

Illumina ends pursuit of PacBio
Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) has terminated its $1.2 billion bid for Pacific Biosciences of California Inc. (NASDAQ:PACB) due to “continued uncertainty of the ultimate outcome,” more than a year after proposing the acquisition. Both the FTC and the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority raised concerns that the takeout would reduce competition between next-generation sequencing companies. PacBio will receive a $98 million termination fee.

China approval for Innovax’s HPV vaccine
China’s National Medical Products Administration approved an NDA for Cecolin from Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co. Ltd. to prevent HPV infection in females aged 9-45 years. The vaccine targets HPV types 16 and 18. Innovax said that in the coming weeks it will seek World Health Organization prequalification and partners for worldwide development of the vaccine. ...