Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced that it has agreed with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to share compounds under the WIPO Re:Search open innovation umbrella, thereby deepening its efforts in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) to identify potential cures for leishmaniasis, Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) and human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness).

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will highlight Phase 2 data evaluating galcanezumab for the prevention of migraine at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting, which will take place April 22-28, 2017, in Boston.

Novartis announced today that it has entered into a clinical trial agreement with Allergan plc to conduct a Phase IIb study, involving the combination of a Novartis FXR agonist and Allergan's cenicriviroc (CVC) for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The financial details of this transaction are not disclosed.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced that it has entered into two separate agreements to license BMS-986168, an anti-eTau compound in development for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), to Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), and BMS-986089, an anti-myostatin adnectin in development for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), to Roche.

PatientsLikeMe and Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG) have announced a new collaboration that will support the development of a patient-centered, real world health learning system that expands understanding of patient health and disease. Shire, the global leader in rare diseases and other highly specialized conditions, will work with PatientsLikeMe to appropriately engage patients and caregivers at every stage of their journey.

A new research study supported by Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions suggests that health risk assessments (HRAs) can help predict depression in segments of the population who may not be routinely screened in traditional healthcare settings. HRAs are often used by employers and health plans to identify modifiable health risks, such as stress, sleep and quality of life. This new study demonstrates the value of HRAs to identify predictors for depression.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that the global, randomised phase III ALEX study met its primary endpoint and showed that Alecensa® (alectinib) as an initial (first-line) treatment significantly reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (progression-free survival, PFS) compared to crizotinib in people with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).