Dara BioSciences, a small drug-development company based in Raleigh, has embarked on a new chapter under its new CEO.

The publicly traded company, which has just a handful of employees, announced today that it has acquired Oncogenerix, a small specialty pharmaceutical company based in South Carolina.

Dara shares were trading 26 percent higher this afternoon on the news. Shares were trading at $1.64, up 34 cents. A year ago the company's shares fetched more than $4.

The all-stock acquisition gives Dara the U.S. rights to Soltamox, which is a liquid version of the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. Soltamox already is sold in the United Kingdom  and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the U.S. market.

The deal sets the table for Dara, which currently has no drugs on the market, to generate revenue from Soltamox sales.

"Dara expects to be actively marketing and selling Soltamox later this year," the company said in its news release.

Although one woman is at the center of "The Education of Dee Dee Ricks" (8:30 tonight, HBO), the documentary actually tells the story of two women.

One is Dee Dee Ricks. She's white, wealthy and divorced with two sons. The other is Cynthia Dodson. She's African-American, working class and single. Both women develop breast cancer. But besides being wealthy, Ricks is insured. Dodson is not.

The education Ricks gets is how powerful a factor class, and sometimes consequently, race is in determining how a woman deals with a breast cancer diagnosis. In the process, we all get a troubling lesson in health care and morality.

With products and football players awash in pink and pink ribbons, you've probably noticed that it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

"Five" (9 tonight, Lifetime) aims to raise awareness of the disease by focusing on the emotional issues surrounding the diagnosis, through five different stories, three directed by star names -- Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys and Demi Moore. The other two were handled by two women more experienced in the craft, Patty Jenkins ("Monster") and Penelope Spheeris ("Wayne's World").

The result is a well-intentioned, but uneven mix of tales, none with great moments of insight, but some with moments of grace and humor.

If you live in Durham, we've got a green cart for garbabe, a blue cart for recycling and a brown one for twigs and leaves. Now we've got a pink one, too -- for pens, pencils and other such tools at the desk.

The solid-waste department is selling miniature trash cans, $5 each and colored pink to make people think about breast cancer.

The sales campaign is primarily aimed at solid-waste employees, but department Director Donald Long passed a notice along on the Inter Neighborhood Council's email list with the note, "Your participation would be greatly appreciated."

"Mini-carts" are available at the solid waste office, 1833 Camden Ave. Cash only.

Japanese drug maker Eisai won regulatory approval today for its new treatment for late-stage breast cancer.

The drug, known as Halaven, is a synthetic form of a compound found in sea sponges that works by inhibiting cancer cell growth, the Food and Drug Administration wrote in a prepared statement.

While the drug is made outside the U.S., Eisai will label and package it for the U.S. market at a $100 million, 65,000 square-foot facility that opened in May on its Research Triangle Park campus. The company has its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey, but employs about 325 people at its main manufacturing campus in RTP.

The injectable drug, also known as eribulin mesylate, will be the first oncology product packaged at the new facility. Eisai officials have said they may add more jobs in RTP as its cancer program expands.

Blaire Kessler's hard work creating and marketing her Pristine Beauty line of all-natural skin and hair care products will soon pay off in a big way. She's going to be on Good Morning America Oct. 25.

Kessler, a former Miss Winston Cup who battled breast cancer before creating the line, spent all of last Sunday with a TV crew from GMA in Raleigh. They filmed her all over town, first at her house, then at Whole Foods in Raleigh (which sells her line) and then at Luxe Apothecary in North Hills. Luxe was one of the first stores to take a chance on Kessler's line by selling it in the store. Owner Fiquet Bailey also was interviewed for the piece. 

"I was interviewed throughout," Kessler said in an e-mail. "They even had the camera hooked to the car for Yunki (de Nies, an ABC News correspondent) and me."

The show starts at 8 a.m. on WTVD.

Some of WakeMed's finest will be hitting the runway Thursday for a good cause.

WakeMed has teamed up with Saks Fifth Avenue for a fashion show as part of the Saks Key to the Cure events this week. And WakeMed doctors are among those who will be hitting the catwalk. Here's to look for: Dr. Karen Coates, Dr. Lisa Roberts and her husband Paul Garcia, who also happens to be N.C. State's band director, Dr. Michele Casey, Dr. Michael Ferguson, Dr. Mark Benevides, Dr. Susan Kennedy, Dr. Carroll Overton, Dr. Tony Tackman, Dr. Lori Tackman, Dr. Monica Jones and her husband John Jones.

Also, Kellie Harper, N.C. State's women's basketball coach, and her husband John Harper will be models in the show.

Tickets cost $30 and include a wine tasting and hor d'oevres. The event is from 6-9 p.m. Buy tickets at keytothecure.wakemed.org.

Fantastic Sams on Route 87 South in Sanford is having a cut-a-thon Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.

The entire styling team at the salon will participate. Each haircut will cost $10 and all proceeds will go to Susan G. Komen. Walk-ins are welcome. Call 919-718-5383 to find out more.

Pampered Chef has a stylish way to stay dry washing dishes while at the same time supporting breast cancer research: pink latex gloves with pink polka dot cuffs and cotton lining. They cost $10 and are one-size-fits most. A portion of the proceeds from the sales goes to breast cancer research through the American Cancer Society.

If you are interested, shop here (in the "Help Whip Cancer" section, until Oct. 31. Jane Currin, who sent the e-mail to me to tell me about the gloves, is a local Pampered Chef consultant.

Vermillion women's clothing boutique is offering up the chance to win a stunning pink dress by Tuleh (that feels a little Joan Holloway on Mad Men, yes?) valued at $1,250 as part of a raffle to benefit the American Cancer Society. It's Vermillion's part to help raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Raffle tickets cost $50 and you can buy them at the North Hills store throughout October. The drawing will be held Nov. 1.