Bayer and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard today announced that they have extended their research collaboration of 10 years by an additional five years, to develop and advance innovative cancer treatments. The expanded agreement will focus on joint cancer target identification and discovery of new therapeutic approaches in oncology.

AstraZeneca today announced a collaboration and investment agreement with Cellectis, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, to accelerate the development of next generation therapeutics in areas of high unmet need, including oncology, immunology and rare diseases.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) announced positive topline results from a Phase 1/2 study (NCT05596734) evaluating the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of mRNA-based combination vaccine candidates for influenza and COVID-19 among healthy adults 18 to 64 years of age.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced the entry into a definitive agreement to acquire Telavant Holdings, Inc. (Telavant), a Roivant company, owned by Roivant Sciences Ltd. and Pfizer Inc.. The agreement includes the development, manufacturing and commercialisation rights in the US and Japan for Telavant's RVT-3101, a novel TL1A directed antibody.

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, announced that 20 company abstracts will be presented at the European Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) 30th Congress, which is being held in Brussels, Belgium, from October 24 to 27, 2023.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved PENBRAYA™ (meningococcal groups A, B, C, W and Y vaccine), the first and only pentavalent vaccine that provides coverage against the most common serogroups causing meningococcal disease in adolescents and young adults 10 through 25 years of age.

Ahead of this month's CPHI Barcelona - the world's largest pharma event, held at Fira Barcelona (October 24-26th, 2023) - and CPHI & PMEC India to be held at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR (November 28-30) key highlights from the CPHI pharma survey are announced. The full findings will be published at CPHI Barcelona as part of the CPHI Annual Report.