Glivec® (imatinib) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the post-surgery treatment of adult patients following complete surgical removal of Kit (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

AstraZeneca and MAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc. have announced an exclusive worldwide agreement to develop and commercialise Unit Dose Budesonide (UDB), MAP Pharmaceuticals' proprietary nebulised formulation of budesonide. UDB is being developed by MAP Pharmaceuticals as a potential treatment for paediatric asthma and is currently in Phase III clinical development.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Abbott's TRILIPIX(TM) (fenofibric acid) delayed-release capsules for use along with diet to help lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and to raise HDL cholesterol in patients with lipid problems.

The Bayer Group is to further expand its research and development activities despite the current financial and economic crisis. "The task now is to set the right course. Only through innovation can our company generate the growth that is essential to safeguard its sustained success," said Werner Wenning, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG, in an address given in front of 130 journalists during the "Bayer's Perspective on Innovation 2008" press forum in Leverkusen.

Roche and Axiogenesis AG, Cologne, Germany have entered into an agreement for the development and distribution for Axiogenesis' Cor.At(R) 100% pure cardiomyocytes platform as an integral part of the xCELLigence life cell analysis system. Under the terms of the agreement, RAS will market cell-systems, based on the technology of Axiogenesis Cor.At being customize for the xCELLigence platform.

Pfizer Inc (Pfizer) and Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite S.p.A (Sigma-Tau), a privately owned Italian pharmaceutical company, have entered into a license and supply agreement under which, following applicable regulatory submissions and approvals, the companies will market Eurartesim®, a novel fixed dose artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), in Africa.

AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb have announced expansion of their worldwide collaboration to include the development and commercialisation of dapagliflozin in Japan. Dapagliflozin, one of two investigational drugs under joint development by the companies, is currently being studied in Phase III clinical trials in several countries, including the U.S., to assess its efficacy and safety as a once-daily treatment for type 2 diabetes.