The Novartis Foundation and its partners will highlight progress in efforts toward accelerating the elimination of leprosy at the 19th International Leprosy Congress (ILC) held in Beijing, China from September 18 - 21, 2016. Updates in 11 abstracts on four Novartis Foundation-supported leprosy initiatives in low- and middle-income countries will be showcased in scientific sessions.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has launched a new app, Moodivator, to help motivate and encourage the millions of adults who experience depression. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States, as an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) experience at least one major depressive episode in any given year.

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have announced a $10 million (subject to the availability of funds), five-year global public-private partnership that will expand access to HIV/AIDS and hypertension services by offering them in an integrated manner at existing PEPFAR-supported HIV/AIDS sites, beginning in Kenya.

Sanofi and Verily Life Sciences LLC, (formerly Google Life Sciences), an Alphabet company, today announced the launch of Onduo, a joint venture created through Sanofi and Verily's diabetes-focused collaboration. The joint venture is based in Kendall Square in Cambridge. Onduo's mission is to help people with diabetes live full, healthy lives by developing comprehensive solutions that combine devices, software, medicine, and professional care to enable simple and intelligent disease management.

For the eighth consecutive year, Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) has been recognised as Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). This is based on an in-depth analysis of economic, social and environmental performance. The DJSI family of indices serves as a benchmark for investors who integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios.

Pfizer Inc. has announced that Dr. Ole Isacson, a world-renowned scientist and thought leader in neurology, will become Chief Scientific Officer of the Neuroscience Research Unit and Senior Vice President, effective September 16. Dr. Isacson is a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, and will continue to serve in an educational role. He is also a founding director of the Neuroregeneration Institute at McLean Hospital. Dr. Isacson will report directly to Mikael Dolsten, President of Worldwide Research and Development.

Today, the first of six teams of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) oncology employees set out from Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast on the first leg of the 2016 Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer Ride , a 21-day cycling ride that will bring together 80 riders to cover approximately 2,800 miles on a mission for cancer patients and their loved ones by raising money for Stand Up To Cancer's innovative cancer research programs.