Business & Industry News Channel
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) has received merger control clearance from the European Commission for its acquisition of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) through a cash tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of AMO. The European Commission approved the transaction without conditions.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announces that it has signed an agreement with UCB to acquire the worldwide rights to EQUASYM® IR and XL (methylphenidate hydrochloride) (excluding the USA, Canada and Barbados) used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Merck KGaA announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended to the European Commission the suspension of the marketing authorization for Raptiva® (efalizumab). Raptiva is currently approved for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis who have failed to respond to, or who have a contraindication to, or are intolerant to certain other systemic therapies.
Sanofi-aventis (Paris Bourse: EURONEXT: SAN; and New York: NYSE: SNY) announced that the ATHENA trial was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The trial showed that Multaq® (dronedarone), in addition to standard therapy, significantly reduced the risk of first cardiovascular hospitalization or death by 24 percent (31.9% vs. 39.4%, p Despite a rapidly deteriorating economic situation, total revenues of the Merck Group rose 7.1% to a record € 7,558 million in 2008 due to increased sales of Pharmaceuticals and a 26% increase in royalty income to € 356 million. On a currency-adjusted basis, annual revenues rose 11%. For the fourth quarter, Group revenues were up 5.4% to € 1,904 million. Merck made no major acquisitions or divestments during 2008.
New data presented today showed that, for the first time, doctors can predict which hepatitis B patients treated with Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) have the highest chance to achieve a positive treatment outcome-and even a clinical cure(1,2). The study results represent an important step forward, as some patients will now be able to feel confident during their Pegasys treatment about the likelihood of beating the disease. 
Novartis has gained the exclusive worldwide rights to elinogrel, a promising anti-clotting agent in Phase II clinical trials that has shown potential to offer clinical improvements over current anti-clotting medications in helping patients avoid heart attacks and strokes.