Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) has announced that new clinical data and abstracts on Esbriet® (pirfenidone) in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are being presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) congress in Amsterdam. A pooled analysis from the ASCEND and CAPACITY phase III studies showed a 38% reduction in risk of death (p=0.0515) in IPF patients who stayed on Esbriet treatment up to two years (120 weeks) compared with placebo.(1)

Merck, a leading company for innovative, top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials, expects the Latin America region to keep driving growth at its Consumer Health business, as demand for consumer goods in the region is constantly rising.

Novartis today announced the launch of Novartis Access, a portfolio of 15 medicines to treat chronic diseases in low- and low-middle-income countries. The portfolio addresses cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, and breast cancer and will be offered to governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other public-sector healthcare providers for USD 1 per treatment, per month.

Novartis today announced updated data from the Phase III COMBI-v study showing a significant overall survival benefit for patients with BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive metastatic melanoma when treated with the combination of Tafinlar® (dabrafenib) + Mekinist® (trametinib) compared to vemurafenib monotherapy.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and Moffitt Cancer Center today announced that they have entered into a collaboration agreement as part of Bristol-Myers Squibb's Immuno-Oncology Rare Population Malignancy (I-O RPM) program in the U.S. The I-O RPM program is a multi-institutional initiative with academic-based cancer centers focused on the clinical investigation of immuno-oncology therapeutics as potential treatment options for patients with high risk, poor prognostic cancers, defined as a rare population malignancy.

Lilly Diabetes has expanded its collection of resources for families of children with type 1 diabetes with the publication of Go, Team Coco! The story is the fourth Disney book in a series featuring Coco, a charismatic and fun-loving monkey who has type 1 diabetes. The book is available from most pediatric endocrinologists' offices in the U.S.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare has announced the launch of Centrum®VitaMints®, a great-tasting and easy-to-take multivitamin that offers consumers the essential nutrients they can enjoy like a mint, from Centrum®, a brand they know and trust.