E. Merck KG has announced the establishment of a new company: the Merck Family Foundation. Through this firm, the Merck family of owners will not only combine many of its individual philanthropic activities under one roof, but also considerably expand its charitable work.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) employees in 70 countries and 141 sites come together to participate in the 2016 Roche Children's Walk, which takes place on the International Day of the African Child. All of the funds raised through the global event will be used to support children in need, either in local communities in which Roche operates or in Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries, ranking 173 out of 188 on the Human Development Index.

Sanofi has announced the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR) in connection with Sanofi's intent to acquire Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN).

Novartis announced today that it will further expand its long-standing partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). Novartis will lead the development of antimalarial compound KAF156 with scientific and financial support from MMV in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that the company has entered into an agreement with HAPPYneuron, a subsidiary of SBT Group of France, in which Merck will receive an exclusive license to the company's cognitive remediation training program for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Merck, a leading science and technology company, has started this week the application period for the next round of its Accelerator programs in Darmstadt, Germany, and Nairobi, Kenya. Globally, Merck is seeking young start-ups in the fields of healthcare, life science and performance materials with a focus on digital solutions.

AstraZeneca today announced it has entered into a commercialisation agreement with Aspen Global Incorporated (AGI), part of the Aspen Group, for rights to its global anaesthetics portfolio outside the US. The agreement covers seven established medicines - Diprivan (general anaesthesia), EMLA (topical anaesthetic) and five local anaesthetics (Xylocaine/Xylocard/Xyloproct, Marcaine, Naropin, Carbocaine and Citanest).