Pfizer will extend its MAINTAIN™ (Medicines Assistance for Those who Are in Need) patient assistance program for an additional year, through December 31, 2010. In addition to the more than 70 Pfizer primary care medicines currently available through MAINTAIN, Pfizer will extend the benefits of MAINTAIN to many legacy Wyeth medicines.

Pfizer announced today results of a survey the company recently sponsored that shows physicians are more likely to report side effects through an electronic health records (EHR) system, as compared to traditional paper methods.

In a large Phase III clinical trial, Tasigna® (nilotinib) demonstrated greater efficacy over Glivec® (imatinib)* in the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase[1].

Facet Biotech Corporation (Nasdaq: FACT) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced that potentially promising data from a Phase I/II study of elotuzumab, an investigational humanized antibody being studied for the treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma (MM), were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2009 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Novo Nordisk has initiated its first phase 1 clinical trial with an oral insulin analogue (NN1952). This milestone releases a USD 2 million payment to Merrion Pharmaceuticals plc, whose GIPET® technology is used in the formulation of NN1952.

Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced an exclusive global licensing agreement with The Rockefeller University (New York, NY) concerning a novel monoclonal antibody, targeting certain specific forms of the Amyloid Beta parenchymal plaque for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Each year, hundreds of undergraduate students from across the United States (U.S.) and Europe participate in the Amgen Scholars Program to gain hands-on laboratory experience under renowned faculty members at the world's leading universities. Now, the Amgen Scholars - past, present and future - will have exclusive access to the online Amgen Scholars Community.