A comprehensive analysis published today in The Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals, from the ABSORB clinical trial demonstrated that Abbott's bioabsorbable drug eluting stent, currently in development, successfully treated coronary artery disease and was absorbed into the walls of treated arteries within two years.

Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), has announced the signing of an agreement with the Mexican authorities to build a € 100 million facility to manufacture influenza vaccine in Mexico. The announcement was made during a ceremony attended by Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico, and Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, who was in Mexico City for a State visit.

Roche's Annual General Meeting has approved all the Board of Directors' proposals. The 703 shareholders in attendance, representing 144,334,099, or 90.2% of a total of 160,000,000 bearer shares, approved the 2008 Annual Report and financial statements. They also authorised a +9% increase in the dividend to 5.00 Swiss francs per share and non-voting equity.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) and Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) announced that their Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which Merck and Schering-Plough will combine, under the name Merck, in a stock and cash transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders will receive 0.5767 shares and $10.50 in cash for each share of Schering-Plough.

Roche (SWX: ROG.VX; RO.S) has increased its offer price for all outstanding publicly-held shares of Genentech (NYSE: DNA) to US$ 93 per share and extended the offer to 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Friday, March 20, 2009. All other terms and conditions of the tender offer remain unchanged.

Lundbeck has presented annual accounts in which all of the financial results meet the financial guidance announced by the company in March 2008. For the first time ever, revenue exceeded DKK 11 billion in 2008, and Lundbeck's management considers the results highly satisfactory.

Results from a study published today in the Journal of Sexual Medicine show that a new, easy to use five-question diagnostic tool can significantly reduce the time it takes to diagnose the most common form of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), generalised, acquired Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder* (HSDD).