Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced that the companies have agreed to transfer rights to Erbitux® (cetuximab) in North America, including the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, from Bristol-Myers Squibb to Lilly.

In a major step forward to make patient-centric evidence a cornerstone of scientific discovery and development, AstraZeneca and PatientsLikeMe have signed a five-year agreement to provide access to PatientsLikeMe’s global network in support of AstraZeneca's patient-driven research initiatives.

Today, Novo Nordisk opens a new manufacturing facility in Russia for formulation and filling of modern insulin for the treatment of diabetes. The production will cover both Penfill® cartridges and FlexPen® prefilled insulin injection pens for the Russian market.

In line with its strategic focus, UCB announces it has entered an agreement with Dr. Reddy's to sell its established brands in India, including its franchises in the areas of allergies and respiratory disorders. The amount of the transaction amounts to INR 8000 million (~ €118 million).

Novartis announced today that it is stepping up its efforts to harness the body's immune system to combat cancer. The company has entered into a major multiyear alliance with Aduro Biotech that is focused on the discovery and development of next generation cancer immunotherapies targeting the STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) pathway and launched a new immuno-oncology research group led by renowned cancer vaccine expert Glenn Dranoff, MD.

AstraZeneca has joined a public-private consortium with Genomics England to accelerate the development of new diagnostics and treatments arising from the 100,000 Genomes Project. The GENE Consortium (Genomics Network for Enterprises Consortium) is a unique partnership between industry, academia and the National Health Service (NHS) Genomic Medicine Centres,

GSK is encouraging academic scientists in Europe, Canada and the US to submit their novel early drug discovery research proposals into its third annual Discovery Fast Track Challenge - a programme designed to accelerate the translation of early-stage research into game-changing new medicines.