GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announces that it has reached an agreement with Novartis for the buyout of Novartis' 36.5% stake in their Consumer Healthcare Joint Venture for $13 billion (£9.2 billion). The Consumer Healthcare Joint Venture was formed as part of the three-part transaction between GSK and Novartis which was approved by shareholders in 2014.

Novartis today announced that the full results from the Phase III EXPAND study of oral, once-daily siponimod (BAF312) in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) were published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet. These pivotal results show significant reductions in the risk of three- (primary endpoint) and six-month confirmed disability progression with siponimod versus placebo[1] and favorable outcomes in other relevant measures of MS disease activity[1].

AstraZeneca today announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for Lokelma (formerly ZS-9, sodium zirconium cyclosilicate) for the treatment of adults with hyperkalaemia. Hyperkalaemia is a serious condition characterised by elevated potassium levels in the blood associated with cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.(1,2,3,4)

Novartis announced today that it is teaming up with scientists from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to develop biomaterial systems for its portfolio of immuno-oncology therapies.

Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to nintedanib for the treatment of systemic sclerosis with associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). The FDA's Fast Track designation facilitates the development of new therapies that treat serious conditions and fulfill an unmet medical need in an effort to get treatments to those in need sooner.

H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) and Prexton Therapeutics BV (Prexton) today announced signing of a definitive agreement in which Lundbeck will acquire Prexton. Under terms of the agreement, Lundbeck will pay EUR 100 million (approximately DKK 750 million) upfront and is furthermore required to later pay up to EUR 805 million (approximately DKK 6 billion) in development and sales milestones to the group of current owners.

AstraZeneca has announced results from a new analysis of its landmark CVD-REAL study, the first large real-world evidence study of its kind evaluating the risk of all-cause death (ACD), hospitalisation for heart failure (hHF), heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) and stroke in patients with type-2 diabetes (T2D) receiving treatment with SGLT-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i), including Farxiga (dapagliflozin) versus other glucose-lowering medicines.