South San Francisco-based Theravance Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc. failed to win approval from U.S. regulators to expand the use of their antibiotic, telavancin, to treat pneumonia acquired by hospitalized patients. The Food and Drug Administration asked for more data and analysis of telavancin as a treatment for hospital-acquired, or nosocomial, pneumonia, Theravance said Friday in a statement. The type of pneumonia can be life-threatening in patients on mechanical breathing devices or with weak immune systems, according to the Mayo Clinic Web site.

Theravance and Tokyo-based Astellas gained U.S. approval on Sept. 11 to market telavancin as a treatment in adults for difficult-to-treat skin infections such as methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The once-daily infusion treatment is sold under the brand name Vibativ, the company said.

PENSIONS

CalPERS, shaken by heavy losses in a New York apartment deal recommended by investment adviser BlackRock Inc., is leaning toward severing ties with the firm, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The California Public Employees' Retirement System declined comment on the report, which was based on an anonymous source. The pension fund giant acknowledged, however, that it is reviewing the performance of all its real estate managers, "given the current economic environment and new leadership in our investment office. "...

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We can't speculate on the future of our real estate relationships until the review is complete," a CalPERS official said.

Technology

Santa Clara-based Intel, Clearwire Corp. and MVS Comunicaciones SA said it plans to invest about $700 million in WiMax technology to offer wireless high-speed Internet service in 23 Mexican cities. The partners would start the network in the second half of 2010, MVS spokesman Felipe Chao said Friday. The Mexico City-based company expects to win government approval by the end of 2009 for a request to extend its license to operate airwaves necessary for the project, Chao said.

Personnel

South San Francisco-based Solazyme, Inc. has hired

Michael S. Golembieski as senior vice president and general manager of nutritionals. Golembieski will be responsible for growing Solarzyme's global food and feed ingredient business for renewable oils, purified microalgae, and microalgae extracts.

Compiled from staff and wire reports. Got Bay Area business news? Reach Drew Voros at 925-943-8099 or dvoros@bayareanewsgroup.com.