Merz GmbH & Co. KGaA, based in Frankfurt am Main, was able to continue the dynamic growth of the previous years during their 2006/07 financial year (ending June 30th). Group revenue increased by 12.8% to 535.5 million Euros (previous year: 474.6 million Euros) due to new product introductions and internationally successful marketing and sales measures.

The first data from the SEROQUEL XR™ (quetiapine fumarate) Extended Release clinical development programme in major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) were presented at the 7th International Forum on Mood and Anxiety Disorders (IFMAD) in Budapest, AstraZeneca announced today.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) today published one-year results of the ACUITY trial, which show that acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with Angiomax(R) (bivalirudin) alone had similar rates of ischemic clinical outcomes compared with a more complicated treatment regimen of heparin plus a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GP IIb/IIIa).[1]

Novartis has expanded its collaboration with the German biotechnology company MorphoSys to create one of the pharmaceutical industry's most comprehensive alliances focused on the discovery and development of antibody-based biologic therapies, the most successful and fastest growing class of biologics.

Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany, has submitted for registration the first combined oral contraceptive product based on estradiol and the progestin dienogest to all Member States of the European Community. The Netherlands will serve as the Reference Member State for the Decentralized Procedure to gain European-wide Marketing Authorization.

Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: FRX) and Mylan Inc. (NYSE: MYL) announced that Mylan has received an approvable letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to its New Drug Application (NDA) for nebivolol (proposed brand name Bystolic(TM)), a novel beta blocker under review for the treatment of hypertension.

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA (Merck), announced today that they have entered into an agreement for over-the-counter (OTC) marketing rights for Mevacor® (lovastatin). Under the agreement, GSK will have exclusive rights to market non-prescription Mevacor in the United States. Terms of the agreement are confidential but include milestone and royalty payments from GSK to Merck.