Business & Industry News Channel
Novartis announced a new strategy to broaden patient reach and availability of its portfolio of medicines in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which is home to the largest underserved patient population in the world. Novartis also aspires to be the partner of choice for governments and NGOs to strengthen healthcare systems across Africa. 
The Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance announced the initiation of a new randomized, controlled study, GUARD-AF (ReducinG stroke by screening for UndiAgnosed atRial fibrillation in elderly inDividuals). The study seeks to determine if earlier detection of atrial fibrillation (AFib) through screening in previously undiagnosed men and women at least 70 years of age in the U.S. ultimately impacts the rate of stroke, compared to usual standard medical care. 
Bayer and Dewpoint Therapeutics, a biotechnology company with sites in Boston and Dresden, Germany, announced an option, research and license agreement worth up to USD 100 million. The partnership will leverage Dewpoint’s proprietary platform for biomolecular condensates and Bayer’s small molecule compound library to develop new treatments for cardiovascular and gynecological diseases. 
Merz, a global, diversified healthcare company, has announced plans for a new business structure that will enable the company to better address customer and patient needs, shorten innovation cycles and capitalize on new market opportunities. 
HERTFORDSHIRE, England & PITTSBURGH & Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced that the name of the new company to be formed by the planned combination of Mylan and Upjohn, a division of Pfizer, will be Viatris (pronounced 'viǝ-trīs). 
Boehringer Ingelheim presented promising preclinical data from its pan-KRAS program including the novel, oral inhibitor BI 1701963 at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Boston, USA(1). Based on these results the compound has been advanced to Phase I clinical testing alone and in combination with trametinib in patients with different types of advanced solid tumors with KRAS mutations. 
AstraZeneca has agreed the sale and licence of the commercial rights to Seroquel (quetiapine fumarate immediate release) and Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate extended release) in Europe and Russia to Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH (Cheplapharm). Seroquel and Seroquel XR, used primarily to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, have lost their compound patent protection in Europe and Russia. 