Novo Nordisk today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire intellectual property rights from Neose Technologies Inc. related to Neose's proprietary GlycoPEGylation technology. The acquired rights are currently subject to a license from Neose for Novo Nordisk's development of GlycoPEGylated recombinant blood clotting factors FVIIa, FVIII and FIX. 
Bayer HealthCare AG acquires the German biotech company DIREVO Biotech AG, Cologne. With the acquisition of the biotech company specialized in protein engineering, Bayer strengthens the research competence in biologicals of its pharmaceutical division Bayer Schering Pharma. Bayer Schering Pharma and the University of Nagasaki (Japan) have signed a licensing agreement on the use of novel substances for molecular imaging. Being used as tracers in Positron Emission Tomography (PET), these compounds could make it possible to allow an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. 
Pfizer Inc announced it will globally withdraw all dalbavancin marketing applications for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections in adults, including the U.S. new drug application (NDA) and the European marketing authorization application (MAA). Bayer Schering Pharma's YAZ® will be available across Europe as of September 2008. YAZ® is the first oral contraceptive containing 3 mg of the unique progestin drospirenone combined with 0.02 mg of ethinyl estradiol in a new dosing regimen of 24 days of active hormone tablets followed by 4 days of hormone-free tablets. Novo Nordisk announced the launch of a next generation of FlexPen® at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting. The new insulin injection device builds upon the high standards set by the current version of FlexPen®, with new features providing improved safety, convenience and ease of use for people with diabetes.