'More than Systemic Sclerosis: The Inside Story' launches today to mark World Scleroderma Day. This global initiative highlights the importance of understanding the 'inside story' of each individual living with systemic sclerosis, and to increase awareness of the potential serious consequences when fibrosis develops in vital organs such as the lungs.

Pfizer Inc., (NYSE:PFE) one of the world's premier biopharmaceutical companies, broke ground on a state-of-the art Research and Development (R&D) and process development facility at 875 W. Chesterfield Parkway, Chesterfield, MO. The new campus will be owned by Pfizer and will bring together more than 450 employees who currently work at multiple locations which the company leases in the St. Louis area.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Rituxan Hycela™ (rituximab and hyaluronidase human) for subcutaneous (under the skin) injection, for the treatment of adults with the following blood cancers: previously untreated and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and previously untreated and previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

Novartis today announced topline results from the global Phase III CANTOS study investigating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of ACZ885 (canakinumab) in combination with standard of care in people with a prior heart attack and inflammatory atherosclerosis. With more than 10,000 patients enrolled in the study over the last six years, CANTOS is one of the largest and longest-running clinical trials in Novartis' history.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the establishment of the Merck Foundation. Through this foundation Merck combines many of its corporate responsibility activities under one roof and considerably expands its scope to address health, social and economic challenges of the 21st century.

ZCube, Research Venture of the pharmaceutical group Zambon, announced the second edition of Open Accelerator, the made-in-Italy fast track acceleration program dedicated to projects in life science fields. Open Accelerator is a 12-steps program providing training to international researchers, scientists and aspiring entrepreneurs that following a selection could receive a seed investment of up to a maximum of 100.000 EUR for each project.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced its corporate venture arm Merck Ventures created iOnctura SA, Geneva, Switzerland. This immuno-oncology spin-out company was formed around two assets from the Healthcare R&D portfolio of Merck and three assets from Cancer Research Technology (CRT).