Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced a new collaboration with Angiex, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA to support the biotechnology start-up's ability to speed its lead oncology antibody drug candidate to clinical use. Angiex is developing an antibodydrug conjugate (ADC) therapy for cancer against a vascular target, TM4SF1.

AstraZeneca and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited today announced that they have entered an agreement to jointly develop and commercialise MEDI1341, an alpha-synuclein antibody currently in development as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein) is an aggregation-prone protein that contributes to the development of PD.

A new analysis of the landmark LEADER trial shows that Victoza® (liraglutide) reduced the risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events in people with type 2 diabetes at high CV risk, irrespective of their history of having a heart attack and/or stroke or not having any of these events, when compared to placebo.(1) This post-hoc analysis was presented today at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Annual Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Boehringer Ingelheim and pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis (ASX: PXS) announce that Boehringer Ingelheim has initiated a European and North American Phase IIa trial in NASH with BI 1467335 (formerly known as PXS-4728A), acquired from Pharmaxis in May 2015. The compound is an oral inhibitor of amine oxidase, copper containing 3 (AOC3)(1), and works by blocking leucocyte adhesion and tissue infiltration in inflammatory processes underlying NASH.

Novartis announced today that Bertrand Bodson, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer for Sainsbury's Argos, has been appointed to the new role of Chief Digital Officer, reporting to Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. He will join Novartis on January 1, 2018, and will be responsible for creating and executing a company-wide digital strategy in close collaboration with the Executive Committee of Novartis,

AstraZeneca today announced results from a new sub-analysis of data from the Phase III PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trial demonstrating a 29% risk reduction in CV death (p=0.0041) from treatment with Brilinta (ticagrelor) 60mg twice daily, versus placebo, in patients taking low-dose aspirin but still at high risk of an atherothrombotic event, a major cause of acute coronary syndrome and CV death.

The Alliance Foundation Trials, LLC (AFT), in conjunction with Pfizer and six international cancer research groups, have announced the launch of PATINA - a randomized, open-label, Phase 3 clinical study of the cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK 4/6) inhibitor palbociclib (also known as IBRANCE®).