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Single Treatment with ELONVA® Produced Live Birth Rates Comparable to Daily rFSH Injections

Merck & Co., Inc.

MSD announced findings from a follow-up study to the pivotal Engage Phase III trial. Treatment with a single corifollitropin alfa injection had comparable live birth rates with daily recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) injections for the first week of stimulation. All patients were treated with a GnRH antagonist. These latest efficacy findings are from a follow-up study of the largest double-blind fertility agent trial performed in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to date.

GlaxoSmithKline enters agreement with Medivir for exclusive rights to cold sore treatment Xerclear™

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Medivir (STO: MVIR-B) announced an exclusive agreement for the commercialisation of cold sore treatment, Xerclear™ (acyclovir and hydrocortisone) for non-prescription use (OTC) in key global markets. Xerclear is the first and only topical herpes labialis (cold sores) treatment clinically proven to help prevent cold sore lesions appearing.(1)

New SIMPONI™ (Golimumab) Data Shows Sustained Efficacy in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Merck & Co., Inc.

Findings from an open-label, uncontrolled long-term extension of a Phase 3 registration trial demonstrated efficacy of SIMPONI in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis despite methotrexate therapy at two years. Results showed that reductions in signs and symptoms and improvements in physical function were maintained over two years with subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI™ (golimumab) 50 mg or 100 mg once every four weeks.

New CELEBREX® (celecoxib) Study Using Novel Endpoint

Pfizer Inc.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) announced that new data, published by The Lancet, show that arthritis patients at increased gastrointestinal (GI) risk taking CELEBREX demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of the novel composite endpoint of clinically significant upper and lower GI events compared with patients taking diclofenac plus omeprazole. This difference was driven by clinically significant decreases in hemoglobin and/or hematocrit of defined or presumed GI origin.(1)

RoACTEMRA: New hope for children with systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Roche

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that new data being presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) congress demonstrates that RoACTEMRA (known as ACTEMRA outside Europe) is highly effective in improving the signs and symptoms of systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA), a severe childhood arthritis, where there are no currently licensed treatments. RoACTEMRA is also well tolerated in children with sJIA having a safety profile similar to adults with RA.

New Study Shows Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Report Need for Improvement in Subcutaneous Therapy Delivery Devices

Merck & Co., Inc.

An overwhelming majority of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are not completely satisfied with their current subcutaneous treatment devices, according to recent survey results presented at the European League Against Rheumatism's (EULAR) 2010 Annual European Congress of Rheumatology. Findings showed that between 78 and 90 percent of surveyed RA patients reported that they disliked at least one aspect of administering their subcutaneous injection.

Boehringer Ingelheim affirms safety of telmisartan with an analysis of 50,000 patients

Boehringer Ingelheim

Telmisartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, is one of the best researched drugs worldwide. It has been studied in clinical trials in more than 50,000 patients. Its positive safety profile has been confirmed also in a market exposure of 34.5 million patient years. Convincing safety data for patients with a high cardiovascular risk were collected in the three long-term outcome trials ONTARGET, PRoFESS and TRANSCEND which followed some of the patients for up to five years.

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