Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008.

• Diluted earnings per share, excluding specified items, were $0.63, reflecting 14.5 percent growth, at the upper end of Abbott's previously announced guidance range of $0.61 to $0.63. Diluted earnings per share under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) were $0.60, up 33.3 percent.

Roche announced that it will acquire Piramed Limited, a privately-owned UK company focusing on therapeutics targeting PI3-kinase (PI3-K). The PI3-K pathway is known to play an important role in disease progression and in resistance to chemotherapeutics in cancer cells.

A new study in patients with early Parkinson's disease demonstrates that Stalevo® (levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone) gives better symptom control[1] and greater improvements in activities of daily living[1] than levodopa/carbidopa, the most widely-used current therapy.

AstraZeneca today announced it has entered into a settlement agreement in its Nexium patent infringement litigation against Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. and its affiliates ("Ranbaxy").

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (NYSE:RDY) announced that it has acquired Jet Generici Srl, a company engaged in the sale of generic finished dosages in Italy. The deal has been completed via Dr Reddy's Italian subsidiary, Reddy Pharma Italia SpA, which has been engaged in building a pipeline of registrations since its incorporation.

Novartis has reached an agreement with Nestlé S.A. providing the right to acquire majority ownership of Alcon Inc. (NYSE: ACL) in two steps and add the world leader in eye care to its diversified portfolio focused on growth areas of healthcare.

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rotarix® [Rotavirus Vaccine, live, oral] for the prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in infants. Rotarix will offer protection against the most commonly circulating rotavirus types in the U.S. and allow infants to complete the vaccination series by four months of age.