Triangle.

• Position: REGIONAL REPORT

RALEIGH -- Aleris International, a Beachwood, Ohio-based aluminum recycler and metal-sheet maker, agreed to buy Alsco Holdings for $150 million. Alsco Holdings is the parent of Alsco Metals, which makes aluminum building products and employs 615. Aleris wouldn't discuss how many people work at Alsco's Raleigh headquarters and a plant in Roxboro. Alsco had revenue of about $300 million in the 12 months ending in June.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK -- Newton, Mass.-based Clinical Data, a consultant and supplier for doctors and small clinical laboratories, agreed to buy Icoria, a drug discovery company formerly known as Paradigm Genetics, for $12.5 million in stock. Icoria stock was trading for about 25 cents a share in September.

MORRISVILLE -- Drug developer BioDelivery Sciences International ousted two directors to keep its listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The seven-member board that resulted satisfies Nasdaq's requirement that a majority of directors be independent.

DURHAM -- Inspire Pharmaceuticals is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company believes the probe is related to the clinical-test failure of a drug candidate it hoped would treat dry eyes. Disclosure of the test results caused its stock price to drop by 45% on Feb. 9.

DURHAM -- Semiconductor maker Cree won a five-year, $15 million Defense Department contract to improve production of semiconductors for military radar systems.

Boon Edam Tossed moved its headquarters from Salt Lake...