Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved its XIENCE V(R) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Japan is the second largest drug eluting stent market in the world after the United States, with approximately 200,000 stent procedures performed each year.

AstraZeneca has entered into an agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and affiliates (collectively "Teva") to settle patent litigation regarding Teva's proposed generic version of AstraZeneca's Nexium delayed-release capsules (esomeprazole magnesium).

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Strides Arcolab (BSE: 532531, NSE: STAR) announced a new collaboration, wherein Pfizer will commercialize off-patent sterile injectable and oral products in the United States through its Established Products Business Unit. These finished dosage form products will be licensed and supplied by Strides and Onco Laboratories Limited and Onco Therapies Limited, two joint ventures between Strides and Aspen, South Africa, in which each has a 50% ownership interest.

Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a New York based U.S. Company of Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (Corporate Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan) and PharmaForce, Inc., (Columbus, Ohio, USA), a privately-held fullyintegrated specialty injectable pharmaceutical company, announced today that PharmaForce has been acquired by Luitpold.

Novartis announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has granted prequalification for all three of its influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccines for supply to United Nations (UN) agencies: the cell culture-based and MF59® adjuvanted vaccine Celtura®, the egg-based and MF59 adjuvanted vaccine Focetria® as well as the egg-based A(H1N1) vaccine manufactured using the seasonal Fluvirin® platform.

Pfizer Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet completed its review of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for Prevnar 13™, (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]), the Company's candidate 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Chattem, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTT) have entered into a definitive agreement under which sanofi-aventis is to acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares of Chattem in a cash tender offer for $93.50 per share, or approximately $1.9 billion.