Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced details of the application for its Take a New Challenge for Drug Discovery (TaNeDS) Europe 2017, a collaborative drug discovery initiative for universities and research institutes in Europe. TaNeDS programme was launched in Japan in 2011 to help discover new lines of research through open innovation.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the recipients of the 2016 Grant for Oncology Innovation (GOI), who will share a €1 million grant to progress their respective research initiatives. The winners were formally awarded yesterday evening at an award presentation coinciding with the 2016 annual European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.

AstraZeneca today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Cilag GmbH International, an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson, for the divestment of the rights to Rhinocort Aqua outside the US. Rhinocort Aqua is a nasal spray indicated for allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the inside of the nose), and for the treatment of nasal polyps (swelling of the nasal lining).

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) has received a second Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its ALK inhibitor, Alecensa (alectinib). The latest BTD was granted for the treatment of adult patients with advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor.

Novartis presented new findings from the largest global survey to date of people with psoriasis, showing many do not achieve the treatment goal of clear skin or even believe it is a realistic goal[1]. People with the disease also report that they face discrimination, humiliation, and mental illness, according to the research presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress.

Boehringer Ingelheim and Sarah Cannon Research Institute, the research arm of Sarah Cannon, the global cancer institute of HCA, have announced a new strategic collaboration. This partnership brings together Boehringer Ingelheim's extensive experience in cancer drug development and Sarah Cannon's expertise and leadership in designing and optimizing clinical trials.

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ARWR) today announced two license and collaboration agreements to develop and commercialize RNA interference (RNAi) therapies for cardiovascular disease. These are the first programs to utilize Arrowhead's proprietary subcutaneous RNAi delivery platform. RNAi molecules may be designed to target and shut down specific gene products that contribute to various diseases.