Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced a collaboration in which the companies will share commercialization of Amgen's monoclonal antibody denosumab for postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico once the product is approved in these countries.

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.29 for the second quarter of 2009, an increase of 13 percent compared to $1.14 for the second quarter of 2008. Adjusted net income increased 6 percent to $1,311 million in the second quarter of 2009 compared to $1,235 million in the second quarter of 2008.

Merck KGaA announced that Group total revenues were steady in the second quarter and in the first half of 2009 at € 1,902 million and € 3,756 million, respectively. Royalty income was down 14% to € 75 million in the second quarter but up 7.0% to € 173 million in the first half.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tekturna HCT® (aliskiren and hydrochlorothiazide) tablets as initial therapy for patients who are likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals.

Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) reported that second-quarter revenue rose to $1.23 billion, compared with $1.17 billion in the same period a year ago, an increase of 5 percent. Including the $66 million impact of unfavorable currency exchange rates, revenue grew 11 percent in the second quarter.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported financial results for second-quarter 2009. Revenues were $11.0 billion, a decrease of 9% compared with the year-ago quarter and flat on a constant currency basis. Foreign exchange unfavorably impacted revenues by approximately $1.1 billion or 9%. For second-quarter 2009, U.S. revenues were $4.5 billion, a decrease of 5% compared with the year-ago quarter.

Roche has announced results from the international phase III study NO16968 (XELOXA), investigating oral Xeloda in combination with intravenous oxaliplatin (XELOX) immediately after surgery, which show that patients with colon cancer taking XELOX live disease free for longer compared to those taking the commonly used intravenous chemotherapy combination 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV).