Merck, Pfizer and Verastem have entered into an agreement to evaluate avelumab*, an investigational fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with Verastem's VS-6063**, an investigational focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor, in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that it has entered into a research collaboration focused on cancer metabolism with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), located in Heidelberg, Germany.

AstraZeneca today announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with China Medical System Holdings Ltd (CMS) for the commercialisation rights in China to its calcium channel blocker, Plendil (felodipine). Plendil was first approved in China in 1995 for the treatment of hypertension or high blood pressure and in 2015 achieved Product Sales of $189 million.

AstraZeneca and Acerta Pharma BV, a company in which AstraZeneca has a majority equity investment, have announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) adopted three positive opinions recommending acalabrutinib (ACP-196) for designation as an orphan medicinal product.

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) announced today that administration of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (hereafter, DMD) treatment drug DS-5141b (hereafter, the Drug), which is jointly developing with the Orphan Disease Treatment Institute Co., Ltd. (hereafter, ODTI), to the first subject has begun in the first clinical trial in Japan.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) issued a call for innovative ideas as part of the DREAMS Innovation Challenge, which is supported by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Janssen Pharmaceutica, NV, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, and ViiV Healthcare.

GSK and Save the Children today revealed the winners of their third annual US$1 million Healthcare Innovation Award, which recognises innovations from developing countries that are helping to reduce deaths among children under five.