Pozen to hold event at NASDAQ

CHAPEL HILL -- Pozen Inc. will hold an analyst and investor event at NASDAQ Market site in New York on Tuesday, where President and CEO John Plachetka and other company leaders will discuss the company's new strategic focus and outline the pipeline.

The Chapel Hill-based drug company is getting ready to launch a commercial team for its PA franchise drug candidates, a family of aspirin substitutes.

At Tuesday's event, the company will have leading medical experts speak, including Paul Gurbel, associate professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and director of the Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research at the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, and Charles Fuchs of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Biogen ups offer for Facet Biotech

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Biogen Idec Inc. announced Thursday that it has increased its offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Facet Biotech Corporation to $17.50 per share in cash, 21 percent more than its previous offer.

The new offer would also be nearly double the closing price of Facet's common stock on Sept. 3, the day before Biogen originally announced its proposal to buy the California-based company.

Biogen is a Cambridge, Mass.-based biopharmaceutical company with facilities in Durham's Research Triangle Park.

The new offer will expire at midnight on Dec. 16.

Restaurants, hotels honored

CHARLOTTE -- Four hotels and six restaurants have been honored by AAA Carolinas with the Four Diamond awards, the second highest classification given by the organization.

The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is the reigning veteran in Durham, having achieved 10 years on the Four Diamonds list. The Arrowhead Inn Bed and Breakfast was the one other Durham business that made the list recognizing accommodations for superior quality and service

In Chapel Hill, the Siena Hotel (14 years) and the Carolina Inn (13 years) also received Four Diamonds awards. No Raleigh accommodations and hotels were awarded.

Among restaurants, Four Square Restaurant (nine years) and The Fairview Dining Room (18 years) made the list in Durham, and Carolina Crossroads (eight years) and il Palio Restaurant marked its 20th year with Four Diamonds in Chapel Hill. Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern of Raleigh (six years) and Herons Restaurant in Cary (three years) also won the award.

AAA gives the Four Diamond awards annually after specially trained evaluators conduct anonymous overnight stays or dine incognito. Eleven accommodations and nine restaurants were honored throughout North Carolina, with The Carolina Hotel in Pinehurst coming out as the reigning veteran, with 28 years on the list.