Business & Industry News Channel
AstraZeneca has announced the divestment to GlaxoSmithKline of a portfolio of over-the-counter (OTC) products predominantly sold in Sweden. The decision reinforces AstraZeneca's strategy to focus on innovation in prescription medicines.
Sandoz has received a positive opinion from European regulators for its third biosimilar medicine, filgrastim, marking another important milestone in its efforts to bring affordable high-quality biopharmaceuticals to patients worldwide.
Filgrastim is indicated for use in treating neutropenia, a condition characterized by lack of neutrophils - one of the most common types of white blood cells - that is often associated with chemotherapy or bone marrow transplants. 
GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], the cervical cancer vaccine from Merck & Co., Inc., prevented 90 percent of external genital lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in a pivotal Phase III study in men aged 16 to 26. 
Findings from the ATLAS ACS TIMI 46 study - a Phase II study of the novel oral anticoagulant Xarelto® (rivaroxaban) - were presented as a late-breaking clinical trial at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008 in New Orleans by C. Michael Gibson, M.D., Director of the TIMI Data Coordinating Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
A global survey studying children with diabetes has identified a failure of current healthcare systems to give adequate social and psychological support for young people with diabetes. The current lack of support often leads to poor control of their disease resulting in long-term health complications.
Merck & Co., Inc. today reaffirmed its commitment to discovering and developing novel treatments for a broad range of cardiovascular disorders, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure and metabolic syndrome. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Company's first major medicine for cardiovascular disease.
AstraZeneca PLC has reported that sales in the third quarter increased by 3 percent at CER, or 9 percent on an as reported basis. Sales in the US were unchanged, as the $141 million decline in sales of Toprol-XL from generic competition was offset by 5 percent growth in the rest of the US business.