The Indiana University School of Medicine chose Dr. Jay Hess as its next dean, pending approval by the IU trustees at their meeting next month. Hess, 53, is chairman of the pathology department and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. Hess would succeed Dr. Craig Brater, who is retiring June 30 after 13 years as dean and 27 years at IU.

Dr. Azita Chehresa, a family physician, has joined American Village as an attending physician. American Village is one of roughly 60 long-term care facilities operated by Indianapolis-based American Senior Communities.

Roche Diagnostics Corp. is mulling a sale of its blood-glucose meter business, according to a Reuters report, a move that would cast uncertainty over the nearly 1,000 people working for its diabetes business in Indianapolis. Reuters reported the potential sale May 15, citing three people familiar with the matter. A Roche spokesman declined to comment to IBJ. The entire blood-glucose meter industry faces a huge hit to sales July 1, when the federal Medicare program will start a competitive bidding program for blood-glucose testing strips and supplies. Bidding could cut Roche's payments as much as 72 percent. The Medicare cuts will directly affect a Roche test-strip plant in Indianapolis, which employs more than 150 workers and churns out more than 2 billion strips per year. Roche Diagnostics’ North American blood-glucose monitor sales declined 6 percent last year, to $598 million, according to Close Concerns Inc., a market research firm based in San Francisco. Close Concerns predicts Roche's blood-glucose sales in North America will swoon this year by 23 percent, to $463 million. Reuters' sources said there are only a few possible buyers of Roche’s blood-glucose meter business, including Minnesota-based Medtronic Inc. and New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson.

While its diabetes business struggles, Roche Diagnostics’ laboratory testing business is riding high on the trend of personalized medicine. On May 14, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new Roche test to detect a gene mutation found in about 10 percent of non-small cell lung cancers. That’s important because Switzerland-based Roche’s pharmaceutical business has a drug, Tarceva, that the FDA said could be used in patients with the mutation whose cancer is spreading. The new test is the first approved to detect the epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, gene, according to a Reuters report.

Construction has stopped on a generic insulin facility being built with a $6 million loan from the city of Greenwood. Greenwood attorney Krista Taggart said the city could foreclose on the Elona Biotechnologies facility within the next few weeks unless new investors take over the company. Greenwood officials three years ago approved $8.4 million of incentives for the project, including the construction loan. Elona said then it expected to employ some 70 workers and spend more than $25 million on a planned expansion. Elona told Greenwood officials of financial troubles in late January. In February, the company said it had reached a deal under which the company would be acquired by private investors.

Few observers believed WellPoint Inc.’s explanation that three of its directors all resigned within one week of each other for entirely “personal reasons.” But investors didn’t care. They bid up the Indianapolis-based health insurer’s stock price more than 2 percent last week after WellPoint disclosed the departures of Dr. Lenox Baker, Sheila Burke and Susan Bayh. Two outside observers cast the departures as a positive that allows new CEO Joseph Swedish, a veteran hospital executive, to put his stamp on the company. Institutional investors had criticized the board for a variety of matters, including its 2007 hiring of Angela Braly as CEO. After a series of missteps under Braly’s leadership, the board ousted her in August. “This is normal and it’s probably good for the company to clean out a few of the board members, especially given how long it took the board to come to the decision that it was time to remove the prior CEO,” Erik Gordon, a business professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, told Bloomberg. “A new CEO always wants the full support of the board.” The company announced the departures just six weeks after Swedish’s hiring and two days before its annual meeting.

-Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum bought a 38,000-square-foot office building at 230 E. Ohio St. The seller, the Indiana Bar Foundation, was represented by Denice Michel, Jimmy Clark and Adam Broderick of Jones Lang LaSalle. The buyer represented itself.

-4930 Lafayette LLC bought a 29,380-square-foot retail building at 4930 Lafayette Road. The buyer was represented by Clint Fultz of Prime Site Brokers. The seller, Eagle Creek Shoppes Property Trust Ltd., was represented by Brian Knapp and Janice Paine of Colliers International.  

-Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen bought 0.669 of an acre at County Line Road and Emerson Avenue. The buyer was represented by Steve Delaney and Larry Davis of Sitehawk Retail Real. The seller, Fenneman & Brown Properties LLC, was represented by Craig Ramsay of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate.

-WF Industrial Properties VI LLC bought 1.69 acres in Brookville Crossing, 1520 Brookville Crossing Way. The buyer was represented by Patrick Lindley of Cassidy Turley. The seller, Brookville Crossing LLC, was represented by Shawn Deitch of Kaiser Land Co.

Xerox Commercial Solutions LLC renewed its lease for 45,166 square feet at 2710 Enterprise Drive, Anderson. The tenant was represented by Denice Michel and Kevin Gillihan of Jones Lang LaSalle. The landlord, First Realty LLC, was represented by Paul Nicholson of First Realty.

Dial America leased 24,010 square feet at 4030 Vincennes Road. The tenant was represented by Denice Michel and Kevin Gillihan of Jones Lang LaSalle.  The landlord, CP Vincennes LLC, was represented by Matt Waggoner of Summit Realty Group.

GAI Consultants Inc. leased 7,620 square feet of office space at 6420 Castleton West Drive. The tenant was represented by Adam Broderick of Jones Lang LaSalle. The landlord, NorthStar Realty Finance Corp., was represented by Dave Moore and Darrin Boyd of Cassidy Turley.

Gentiva Health Services leased an additional 5,203 square feet at 8606 Allisonville Road. The tenant was represented by Graham Summers of Jones Lang LaSalle. The landlord, Castle Creek Office LLC, was represented by Brian Fitzgerald of Citimark.  

rue21 Inc. leased 4,712 square feet of retail space at 1950 2000 E. Greyhound Pass, Carmel. The tenant was represented by Bill French of Cassidy Turley. The landlord, Simon Property Group Inc., represented itself.

Allegient LLC leased 3,904 square feet at 201 W. 103rd Street, Carmel. The tenant was represented by Mike Napariu of REI Real Estate Services. The landlord, Virtu Meridian Associates, was represented by Adam Broderick of Jones Lang LaSalle.

Uniontape Inc. leased 3,079 square feet of industrial space in Stony Creek Business Park, 15260 Herriman Blvd., Noblesville. The tenant and landlord, Herriman & Keeler, were represented by Herb Feldmann of Lee & Associates.

Just Wingin' It leased 2,920 square feet of retail space at 1675 W. Smith Valley Road, Greenwood. The landlord, Cassidy Turley acting as court-appointed receiver, was represented by Bill French of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.

Global Smiles LLP leased 2,620 square feet of retail space in McFarland Marketplace, 8028 S. Emerson Ave. The tenant was represented by Matt Jackson of Ambrose Property Group. The landlord, MLMT 2005-LCI Greensburg Crossing LLC, was represented by Cathy Richards, Cindy Hoskinson and Herb Feldmann of Lee & Associates.

Solar America Solutions LLC leased 2,500 square feet at 9239 Castlegate Drive. The tenant was represented by Andrew Clifford of 7D Commercial Real Estate. The landlord, Castlegate II Partners LLC., was represented by Tom Frank of Summit Realty Group.

Lunar Construction leased 1,690 square feet of industrial space in Stony Creek Business Park, 15266 Herriman Blvd., Noblesville. The tenant and landlord, Herriman & Keeler, were represented by Herb Feldmann of Lee & Associates.
 
Jen Daisy Boutique leased 1,400 square feet at Greenwood Springs Shopping Center, 1279 Emerson Ave., Greenwood. The landlord, Regency Centers, was represented by Keith Fried of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate. The tenant represented itself.

KAJ LLC leased 1,200 square feet of retail space in Greenbriar Shopping Center, 1321 W. 86th St. The landlord, Prime Property Investors Fund VIII LP, was represented by Bart Jackson of Lee & Associates. The tenant represented itself.

The average rate for 30-year mortgages rose from 3.52 percent to 3.6 percent for the week ended May 8, according to Bankrate.com. The rate for 15-year mortgages rose from 2.75 percent to 2.82 percent.

-Gibson Commercial Construction has completed a 1,200-square-foot build-out for Supercuts at 112 N. State Road 267, Avon.

-Capitol Construction has completed a 10,600-square-foot office/warehouse build-out for Sims Lohman at 7113 Mayflower Park Drive, Zionsville. 

In a case that could have affected Dow AgroSciences LLC and companies developing biotech drugs, the U.S. Supreme Court sustained St. Louis-based Monsanto Co.'s claim that an Indiana farmer violated the company's patents on soybean seeds that are resistant to its weed killer. The justices, in a unanimous vote Monday, rejected farmer Vernon Hugh Bowman’s argument that cheap soybeans he bought from a grain elevator are not covered by the Monsanto patents, even though most of them also were genetically modified to resist the company's Roundup herbicide. Justice Elena Kagan said a farmer who buys patented seeds must have the patent holder's permission. Monsanto has a policy to protect its investment in seed development that prohibits farmers from saving or reusing the seeds once the crop is grown. Farmers must buy new seeds every year. The case had been closely watched by researchers and businesses holding patents on DNA molecules, nanotechnologies and other self-replicating technologies. But Kagan said the court's holding only "addresses the situation before us."

Warner Transitional Services LLC, a 10-month-old company that provides services to adults with developmental disabilities, plans to cease operations this summer, putting 112 employees out of work. The Indianapolis-based firm plans to terminate employment for 102 of its employees on June 7. The other 10 will remain with the company for less than another month to help wind down operations. Warner relies on funds from the Indiana Family and Social Administration, but FSSA recently decided to end that funding after numerous complaints against the company went unresolved. More than half of the employees affected are direct care professionals, a title usually held by nursing assistants or personal care aides. Warner is a subsidiary of Oconomowoc, Wis.-based Oconomowoc Residential Programs Inc., which operates several therapeutic, residential and in-home services businesses in the Midwest.

John Lechleiter temporarily relinquished the reins of Eli Lilly and Co. on Monday while he undergoes and recovers from cardiovascular surgery. Derica Rice, Lilly’s chief financial officer, will become acting CEO in Lechleiter’s absence. And Ellen Marram, lead independent director on Lilly’s board of directors, will be acting chairman. Lechleiter, 59, has been suffering from a dilated aorta, which is a swelling that can cause a rupture and bleeding in the main artery that carries blood from the heart. The company said the problem was discovered during unrelated testing and has not produced visible symptoms. Lechleiter will undergo a procedure in Indianapolis in which a portion of his aorta will be removed and replaced with a graft, said Lilly spokesman Ed Sagebiel. He will be recuperating for months, but is expected to return to the company “later this summer,” depending on the pace of his recovery. Rice, 48, has been Lilly’s CFO since 2006 and executive vice president of global services since 2010. He is the highest-ranking African-American executive at Lilly.

Former WellPoint Inc. CEO Angela Braly has been named by Gov. Mike Pence to serve as a board member of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. The appointment is the first high-profile post that Braly, 51, has accepted since she was ousted from the top spot at the Indianapolis-based health insurer in August. Braly’s tenure leading WellPoint was rocky, in part because WellPoint was painted by President Obama’s administration as the poster child of health insurance abuses during the lengthy debate of the president’s health reform law. Financial and operational missteps ultimately led investors to demand Braly’s ouster last summer. In February, WellPoint hired Joe Swedish, a longtime hospital executive, to replace Braly. WellPoint is Indiana's largest public company, ranking No. 47 on the new Fortune 500 list.

R. Graham Cooks, a professor of chemistry at Purdue University, has been awarded the biennial Dreyfus Prize for advancements in mass spectrometry. Cooks will receive $250,000 and a medal. Cooks created a new way to analyze chemicals in their natural environment, without having to put them in a vacuum tube. The technique allowed for chemical analysis of fingerprints at crime scenes, and was incorporated into the storyline of an episode of the TV show "CSI: Miami" in 2008.

Julie Lappas has joined Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman’s Indianapolis office, helping health care providers comply with federal and state anti-kickback, privacy and licensure laws. Lappas previously worked as a sales representative at Eli Lilly and Co., before earning her law degree at The George Washington University Law School. She also holds a bachelor’s from Indiana University.

-Heartland Food Products Group leased 309,600 square feet of industrial space at 4925 W. 86th St. The tenant was represented by Fritz Kauffman and Don Treibic of Cassidy Turley. The landlord, Duke Realty, represented itself.

-Central Indiana Education Service Center leased 13,245 square feet of office space at 6026 6036 Lakeside Blvd. The tenant was represented by Yumi Prater of Colliers International. The landlord, GI Partners, was represented by Bryan Poynter and Russell Van Til of Cassidy Turley.

-The Men’s Wearhouse leased 6,553 square feet at Clay Terrace, 146th Street and U.S. 31, Carmel. The tenant was represented by Mark Perlstein of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate. The landlord, Clay Terrace Partners LLC, was represented by Pat O’Hara of Simon Property Group.

-Pet Supplies Plus leased 6,400 square feet at Fishers Crossing, 7230 Fishers Crossing Drive, Fishers. The tenant was represented by Mark Perlstein of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate and John Liprando of Sullivan Hayes. The landlord, Viking Partners Fishers LLC, was represented by Kyle Hughes and Jamison Downs of Veritas Realty LLC.
 
-Jockamo Irvington LLC renewed its lease for 5,468 square feet of retail space at 5614-5646 E. Washington St. The landlord, Irv LLC, was represented by John Byrne of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.  

-Indiana Association of 7th Day Adventists Inc. leased 2,773 square feet of office space at 7301 Georgetown Road. The tenant was represented by Nathan Smith of Colliers International. The landlord, GCP Investment LLC in care of Mann Properties Management, was represented by Craig Cleveland of Mann Properties.

-Preventive Care Medical LLC leased 2,750 square feet of office space at 7430 N. Shadeland Ave. The landlord, SNAG LLC, was represented by Paul Dick and Kevin Dick of Colliers International. The tenant represented itself.

-Stonegate Mortgage Corp. leased an additional 1,776 square feet at 1499 Windhorst Way, Greenwood. The tenant was represented by Nick Svarczkopf and John Vandenbark of CBRE. The landlord, South Park Group LLC, was represented by Brian Dell of Summit Realty Group.

-Thomas Mascari leased 1,600 square feet of retail space at 3001 Meridian Meadows, Greenwood. The landlord, Bayview Loan Servicing LLC, was represented by Jacque Haynes of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.  

-H&R Block leased 1,400 square feet of retail space at 8958 8974 E. 96th St., Fishers. The landlord, C III Asset Management, was represented by Jacque Haynes of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.  

-Great Clips leased 1,200 square feet of retail space at 1600 E. Michigan Road, Shelbyville. The landlord, C III Asset Management, was represented by Jacque Haynes of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.  

-LCS Avon LLC leased 880 square feet of office space at 6845 E. U.S. Highway 36, Avon. The landlord, Westridge Office Park II LLC Receivership Estate, was represented by Nathan Smith of Colliers International. The tenant represented itself.

Underwood Tile bought a 4,217-square-foot industrial building at 640-650 Murray St. The buyer and seller, Thomas J. Williamson Revocable Trust, were represented by Bob Lindgren and Mike Medlock of Lee & Associates.

The average rate for 30-year mortgages fell from 3.57 percent to 3.52 percent for the week ended May 1, according to Bankrate.com. The rate for 15-year mortgages fell from 2.80 percent to 2.75 percent.

Diagnotes Inc., an Indianapolis-based health IT company, announced today that it has closed on $1 million in funding from life sciences and early-stage growth company investors. The investment group was led by Indiana University’s Innovate Indiana Fund and includes BioCrossroads’ Indiana Seed Fund II, Stepstone Angels and other investors. The funding will help Diagnotes commercialize its communication system for on-call health care providers. The Diagnotes system allows providers and patients to connect with on-call doctors and nurses while delivering key patient information from the electronic health record to the point of care.

Endocyte Inc. recorded $14.5 million in revenue during the first quarter and a loss of $3.9 million, or 11 cents per share. The West Lafayette-based drug development firm is still working with European regulators to win approval to launch its first drug, vintafolide. The drug, targeted for drug-resistant ovarian cancer, would be commercialized with New Jersey-based Merck & Co. Inc. Merck’s payment last year of $120 million is Endocyte’s sole source of revenue. The company’s cash pile declined during the first quarter from $201.4 million to $185.9 million. Endocyte officials reaffirmed their predictions that the company will have cash and cash equivalents between $145 million and $160 million at the end of 2013.

Franciscan St. Francis Health has partnered with WhatNext.com, a Carmel-based online support network that matches up cancer patients according to their diagnosis, stage and age. More than 10,000 Americans have registered to use WhatNext.com, including 400 patients in Indiana. “People are trying to make sense of a whole universe of new and staggering volume of medical information at the same time they are trying to figure out what’s next and to stay emotionally strong,” said David Wasilewski, who launched WhatNext.com in September 2011. “Our site helps patients benefit from those who have been there.”

Indiana University Health has named Dennis Murphy chief operating officer of its hospital system. Murphy will come to IU Health on July 22 from Northwestern Memorial HealthCare in Chicago, where he has most recently been chief operating officer. Murphy holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree in health care administration from Duke University.

Dr. Suzanne Grannan, a pediatrician, has joined Community Physician Network, which is part of the Community Health Network hospital system. She holds a medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Justin Hollen, a family physician, has joined Community Physician Network. He completed his medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine in New Jersey.

Mattingly Construction has completed a 6,000-square-foot restaurant build-out for Delicia at 5215 N. College Ave.

Michael B. Drew has joined Colliers International as senior vice president of multifamily and investment services.

The average rate for 30-year mortgages fell from 3.61 percent to 3.57 percent for the week ended April 24, according to Bankrate.com. The rate for 15-year mortgages fell from 2.85 percent to 2.8 percent.

-HG Metals Inc. leased 25,950 square feet of industrial space at 1670 1740 Wales Ave. / 3970 3974 E. 16th St. The tenant was represented by JD Graves of CBRE. The landlord, Brookside Industrial Park LLC, was represented by Fritz Kauffman and Michael Weishaar of Cassidy Turley.

-Petco Animal Supplies Stores Inc. leased 12,500 square feet of retail space at 7565 U.S. 31 South. The landlord, Nationwide Investments, was represented by Bill French of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.

-Krav Maga Training Center leased 6,169 square feet of retail space in Fishers Crossing, 7266 Fishers Crossing Drive, Fishers.  The tenant was represented by Stephen Ladig of Ladig Realty. The landlord, Viking Partners Fishers LLC, was represented by Jamison Downs, Seth Biggerstaff and Kyle Hughes of Veritas Realty.

-Delicia leased a 6,000-square-foot freestanding retail building at 5215 N. College Ave. The landlord, Glendale Partners of South Broad Ripple LLC, was represented by Kyle Hughes and Paul Rogozinski of Veritas Realty. The tenant represented itself.
 
-MedExpress Urgent Care leased 4,803 square feet of retail space at 4903 S. Emerson Ave.  The tenant was represented by Harley Carroll of Petroplus Lane  LLC. The landlord, Kovacs Enterprises LLC, was represented by Jamison Downs and Seth Biggerstaff of Veritas Realty.

-Mattress World leased 3,200 square feet of retail space in Emerson Commons, 6814 S. Emerson Ave. The tenant was represented by Jamison Downs and Kyle Hughes of Veritas Realty. The landlord, First Emerson Commons Way LLC, was represented by John Baker, Tom English and Larry Davis of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate.

-Divine Savior Lutheran Church leased 3,000 square feet of retail space in Village at Main, 11361 Village Square Lane, Fishers. The tenant was represented by Seth Biggerstaff of Veritas Realty. The landlord, Jordan Fishers LLC, was represented by Keith Dedrick of Corporate Commercial Group.

-Yats leased 2,453 square feet at Trail Side, 885 and 887 Massachusetts Ave.  The tenant was represented by Gary Perel of Newmark Knight Frank Halakar. The landlord, Trail Side Retail Flats LLC, was represented by Mike Sprovtsoff Jr. of Monument Realty.  
 
-Matthew Sutika Agency/State Farm leased 2,400 square feet at The Pavilion at Castleton, 5953 E 86th St. The tenant was represented by Mark Perlstein of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate. The landlord, Stough Associates LP, was represented by Greg Smith and Joe Tarpey of Colliers International.  
 
-Jordan’s Fish & Chicken leased 1,600 square feet of retail space in Shadeland Crossing, 7534 N. Shadeland Ave. The landlord, Glendale Partners of Geist Crossing II LLC, was represented by Kyle Hughes, Paul Rogozinski, and Seth Biggerstaff of Veritas Realty. The tenant represented itself.

-BizCard Express leased 1,200 square feet of retail space in Geist Crossing Shoppes, 9745 Fall Creek Road.  The landlord, Glendale Partners of Shadeland Shoppes LLC, was represented by Kyle Hughes, Paul Rogozinski, and Seth Biggerstaff of Veritas Realty. The tenant represented itself.

-Any Lab Test Now leased 1,200 square feet at Avon Crossing, 7810 E. U.S. 36, Avon. The landlord, Cranfill Development Corp, was represented by Michael Cranfill of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate. The tenant represented itself.

-GM Sportswear leased 699 square feet of office space at 5455 W. 86th St. The landlord, Polaris Commercial Investments, was represented by Dan Baldini of Polaris Real Estate. The tenant represented itself.
 

-Larsen Holdings bought a 10,208-square-foot office building at 3843 3845 N. Meridian St. The seller, 3rd General, was represented by Spud Dick and Mike Semler of Cassidy Turley. The buyer represented itself.  

-Brookville Storage bought 3.64 acres of industrial land in Interchange Business Park, 7501 Brookville Road. The buyer was represented by Mike Kensill of Lee & Associates. The seller, First Industrial Realty Trust, was represented by Brian Buschuk of Jones Lang LaSalle.

-Hecker's Fitness LLC bought 0.58 of an acre at State Road 334 and West Stonegate Drive, Zionsville. The seller, Reitz Group Inc., was represented by Bo Leffel of Cassidy Turley. The buyer represented itself.

Pamela London has been named vice president of cardiovascular services for Indianapolis-based hospital system Community Health Network. London previously founded and led Family Health Advocates Inc., a patient advocacy consulting company that offers quality care options to Canadian citizens. She holds a bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

The Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety named James Fuller its president. Fuller comes to the coalition from Wishard Health Services where he worked nearly 27 years, most recently as vice president of clinical support services. Fuller replaces Carol Birk, who had been president of the coalition since 2009. The coalition is composed of chief executive, medical, nursing, quality, safety and pharmacy officers from six Indianapolis hospital systems. Fuller holds a bachelor’s and a doctorate in pharmacy from Purdue University.

New WellPoint Inc. CEO Joe Swedish threw cold water April 24 on widespread speculation that he will lead the company through a new wave of hospital and doctor acquisitions. Swedish, 61, had spent his entire career managing hospitals, including the past eight years as CEO of Michigan-based Trinity Health Corp., a Catholic hospital system. But in spite of many questions about the prospect, he’s not looking to get back in that business. “To be clear, I do not currently see vertical integration as a likely path for WellPoint,” Swedish said during an investor conference call Wednesday morning. “The models are so divergent that it just does not seem to be the best use of capital.” Analysts, investors, local health care providers and even WellPoint’s own employees have been asking about the possibility of WellPoint's acquiring hospitals and doctors since Swedish was named in mid-February to replace former WellPoint CEO Angela Braly. Instead, Swedish emphasized that WellPoint is moving to work more closely with health care providers than the confrontational stand that it and most health insurers have taken in the past. But he spoke about new kinds of contracts, rather than acquisitions.

A pharmacy that makes specialty medications is recalling nearly 100 compounded drugs after federal regulators found potential safety problems during an inspection. Nora Apothecary Alternative Therapies of Indianapolis says it is recalling all sterile drugs that have not reached their expiration date. The drugs were made on or before April 19. The company said it initiated the recall after the Food and Drug Administration found quality control problems that threaten the sterility of its products. If compounded drugs are not sterile, they can cause infections, though the company said it has not received any reports of illness.

Record sales of seeds and new crop protection products helped boost Dow AgroSciences LLC revenue 14 percent in the first quarter, leading to record profit. The Indianapolis-based maker of agricultural products, a unit of Michigan-based Dow Chemical Co., brought in $2.1 billion in revenue compared with $1.7 billion a year earlier. Profit in the latest quarter totaled $484 million before accounting for interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. That was a 7-percent jump from $451 million a year earlier, Dow Chemical reported April 25. Sales of crop protection products swelled 7 percent, driven by gains in North America and Latin America. Sales of seeds, genetic traits and oils rocketed 37 percent, due in part to strong demand for the firm’s genetically modified SmartStax products.

Eli Lilly and Co. said the Food and Drug Administration will perform a priority evaluation of its experimental stomach cancer drug ramucirumab under a program designed for drugs that treat serious or life-threatening diseases for which there are few other therapies. According to the Associated Press, this fast-track status gives companies extra meetings and correspondence with regulators throughout the review process, and it allows the drugmaker to submit data as it compiles it. Lilly is seeking approval for ramucirumab as a second treatment in patients with gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers that have spread. In the first quarter, Lilly's earnings jumped 53 percent largely due to a $495 million payment for the transfer to former drug development partner Amylin Pharmaceuticals of commercial rights outside the United States for the diabetes treatment exenatide. Lilly earned $1.55 billion, or $1.42 per share, in the three months that ended March 31. Not counting the exenatide payment, Lilly reported adjusted earnings of $1.14 per share. Analysts expected, on average, earnings of $1.05 per share.

WellPoint Inc. reported better-than-expected financial results for the quarter ended March 31. The Indianapolis-based health insurer earned $885.2 million in the first three months of the year, or $2.89 per share. Profit was 3.4 percent higher than in the same quarter a year ago. Excluding investment losses and other extraordinary charges, the company would have earned $2.94 per share, a nearly 26-percent increase over the same quarter last year. On that basis, analysts were expecting profit of $2.38 per share, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters. The higher earnings prompted WellPoint to raise its full-year profit forecast to $7.75 per share, up from its previous prediction of $7.60 per share.

-2451 N. Delaware LLC bought the neighboring mixed-use property at 2453 N. Delaware St. The buyer was represented by Kelly Lavengood of F.C. Tucker Co. The sellers, Valdis and Sherry Minkis, were represented by Sherry Minkis of MacDuff Realty Group.

-First Internet Bank bought 12.3 acres of land at Lantern Road and USA Parkway, Fishers. The buyer was represented by Aasif Bade of Ambrose Property Group. The seller, St. Vincent Health, was represented by Mike Semler of Cassidy Turley.

-Shamrock Builders bought 8.12 acres of land at Easy Street and Office Centre Drive, Fishers. The seller, Old National Bank, was represented by Bill French of Cassidy Turley. The buyer represented itself. 

-First Internet Bank bought a 49,705-square-foot office building at 11201 USA Parkway, Fishers. The buyer was represented by Aasif Bade of Ambrose Property Group. The seller, Lillibridge Healthcare Real Estate Trust, was represented by Mike Semler and Rebecca Wells of Cassidy Turley.

-Jones Lang LaSalle has been named exclusive leasing agent for Coastal Commerce Center, a 590,000-square-foot warehouse facility at 6550 E. 30th St.
JLL's Jake Sturman and Steve Schwegman will direct marketing and leasing for owner Coastal Partners LLC.

-Purina Animal Nutrition LLC leased 47,810 square feet of industrial space at 1700 Industries Road. The landlord, Coca-Cola Refreshments USA Inc., was represented by Dustin Looper of Colliers International. The tenant represented itself.

-Regus leased 14,236 square feet at Crosspoint Plaza One, 10475 Crosspoint Blvd. The tenant was represented by Nick Arterburn of CBRE. The landlord, Lexington Crosspoint LP, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of Summit Realty Group.

-Hino Oishi Hibachi & Sushi leased 5,000 square feet of retail space in Maplecrest Commons, 10491 Walnut Creek Drive, Carmel. The tenant was represented by Jamison Downs of Veritas Realty. The landlord, Maplecrest Commons LLC, was represented by Liz Yoho of Providence Development LLC.

-Egg and I leased 4,200 square feet at Merchants Pointe, 2271 Pointe Parkway, Carmel. The tenant and landlord, Cranfill Development Corp, were represented by Michael Cranfill of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate.

-Critical Skills dba Cspring leased 3,466 square feet at 150 W. Market St. The tenant was represented by Peter Pizarro of F.C. Tucker Co. Inc. The landlord, National Education Association, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of Summit Realty Group.

-Entap Inc. leased 3,225 square feet at 150 W. Market St. The tenant was represented by Darrell Pike of Pike Real Estate Services LLC. The landlord, National Education Association, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of Summit Realty Group.

-Rose Foot Spa leased 2,400 square feet of retail space in Fishers Crossing, 7248 Fishers Crossing Drive, Fishers. The tenant was represented by Karen Yan of Best Value Realty. The landlord, Viking Partners Fishers LLC, was represented by Jamison Downs, Seth Biggerstaff and Kyle Hughes of Veritas Realty.

-Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana renewed its lease for 2,330 square feet at 150 W. Market St.  The landlord, National Education Association, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of Summit Realty Group. The tenant represented itself.

-Bollinger Lach & Associates leased 1,928 square feet at Castle Creek III, 8720 Castle Creek Parkway. The landlord, ORIX USA Capital Markets, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of Summit Realty Group. The tenant represented itself.

-Yummy Yogurt Indy dba Orange Leaf leased 1,649 square feet of retail space at Valley Ridge Shops, 5220 E. Southport Road. The tenant was represented by Beth Patterson of Colliers International. The landlord, Valley Ridge Shops LLC, was represented by Jacqueline Haynes of Cassidy Turley.

-Capitol Assets renewed its lease for 1,521 square feet at 150 W. Market St. The tenant was represented by Bill Ehret of Summit Realty Group. The landlord, National Education Association, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of Summit Realty Group.

-Fannie May Fine Chocolates leased 1,440 square feet of retail space at 8270 E. 96th St., Fishers. The tenant was represented by Greg Smith of Colliers International. The landlord, Glendale Partners of North by Northeast II LLC, was represented by Kyle Hughes and Paul Rogozinski of Veritas Realty.

The average rate for 30-year mortgages fell from 3.64 percent to 3.61 percent for the week ended April 17, according to Bankrate.com. The rate for 15-year mortgages fell from 2.89 percent to 2.85 percent.

Former Simon Property Group executive Dennis Carafiol has joined LIDS Sports Group as vice president of real estate and construction.

Capitol Construction has completed a 2,800-square-foot retail build-out for Yo Yo Yogurt at 6685 E. State Road 334, Zionsville.