Welcome to Pharmaceutical Executive Daily, your quick briefing on the top news shaping the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry. In today's Pharmaceutical Executive Daily, a senior source denies reports of merger talks between AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb, CSPC Pharmaceutical and AstraZeneca form a joint venture for biologics manufacturing in China, and a feature examines how U.S. Patent and Trademark Office policy changes are slowing patent challenges for generic and biosimilar drugmakers. A senior source close to the matter says there are no discussions underway between AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb over a potential combination, pushing back on days of speculation about a merger that would have created one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The joint venture remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Thanks for listening to Pharmaceutical Executive Daily.