Roche has announced that the SATURN (SequentiAl Tarceva in UnResectable NSCLC) study met its primary endpoint of progression free survival. The study showed that Tarceva (erlotinib), when given in first line maintenance - immediately following initial treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy - , significantly extended the time patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) lived without their cancer getting worse.

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.

New data from the JUPITER study demonstrated that CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin calcium) 20 mg significantly reduced major cardiovascular (CV) events (defined in this study as the combined risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, arterial revascularization, hospitalization for unstable angina, or death from CV causes) by a dramatic 44% compared to placebo (p<0.001) among men and women with elevated hsCRP but low to normal cholesterol levels.

Genzyme Corp. (Nasdaq: GENZ) and Osiris Therapeutics (Nasdaq: OSIR) have entered a strategic alliance for the development and commercialization of Prochymal and Chondrogen, two novel, late-stage adult stem cell treatments that hold significant potential to treat a wide range of diseases.

GlaxoSmithKline [LSE/NYSE: GSK] and Genelabs Technologies, Inc. [NASDAQ: GNLB] have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which GSK will acquire Genelabs for approximately $57 million (£35 million) through a tender offer of $1.30 per share in cash. This strategic acquisition will strengthen GSK’s effort to develop and deliver novel therapies against the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

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.

Novartis has strengthened its capabilities for developing medicines that can be delivered via the lungs through a definitive agreement to acquire the pulmonary drug delivery business unit of Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR) for USD 115 million in cash.