Novo Nordisk ranks as best-in-class in healthcare - one of 18 global supersectors - in Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, the world's leading indexes for sustainability-driven investment portfolios. This ranking, effective at the opening of equity markets on 24 September 2007, is a result of the latest global analysis of corporate sustainability leadership, based on a thorough analysis of companies' economic, environmental and social performance.

Abbott - the global health care company - was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for the third consecutive year. This selection recognizes Abbott's continued leadership in business, environmental and social performance.

Avastin (bevacizumab), Roche's innovative anti-cancer drug, was approved today in Europe for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy.

CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: CEN) and the ERGOMED Group today announced that they have initiated recruitment into a Phase II study of the potential new pain drug CNS 5161. CNS 5161 is being developed under a co-development deal signed in July 2006 between CeNeS and ERGOMED.

AstraZeneca announced today that it will start a Phase III programme for PN400, a new pain product under co-development with POZEN, Inc. The Phase III programme is scheduled to begin in 3Q 2007, with a US submission currently targeted for 1H 2009.

Bayer AG intends to file for delisting of its American Depositary Shares (ADSs) from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It is also planned to deregister with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and thereby terminate the respective reporting obligations.

Novartis will keep defending its intellectual property rights for the antiviral medicine Famvir®, which has various US patents valid until 2015, after a competitor company launched its own generic version in the United States.