Novartis announced today that it is broadening its cancer immunotherapy research program with the acquisition of CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Cambridge, MA-based, privately held biotechnology company focused on harnessing the immune system to eliminate immune-blocking signals from cancer.

Crystal Bioscience Inc. (Crystal) and Boehringer Ingelheim have entered into an agreement to collaborate on the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies. Crystal Bioscience will apply its proprietary gel encapsulated microenvironment (GEM) and chicken immunization platforms to discover antibodies to multiple targets selected by Boehringer Ingelheim, with the goal of discovering different development candidates that may result in new or better therapies.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has agreed with Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada ("Merck"), through two Merck subsidiaries, to explore the therapeutic potential of Merck's investigational anti-PD-1 therapy, MK-3475, in combination with two Pfizer oncology assets. A Phase I/II clinical study will evaluate the safety and anti-cancer efficacy of MK-3475 combined with Pfizer's axitinib (INLYTA®) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that they have entered into an agreement through a subsidiary to evaluate the safety and efficacy of talimogene laherparepvec, an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy, combined with MK-3475, an investigational anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, in a Phase 1b/2 study of patients with mid- to late-stage melanoma.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced that it has completed the previously announced sale of its global diabetes business to AstraZeneca. Bristol-Myers Squibb received from AstraZeneca a payment of approximately $2.7 billion in connection with the closing, and will receive by mid-February, a $0.6 billion milestone payment from the recent U.S. approval of Farxiga (dapagliflozin).

Roche's Group sales rose 6% to 46.8 billion Swiss francs in 2013 as a result of strong demand for Roche's biologic medicines in the area of oncology, immunology and ophthalmology as well as for its clinical laboratory diagnostic products, especially immunoassays. This sales performance contributed significantly to an 8% increase in the Group's core operating profit and, combined with lower financing costs, a 10% rise in core earnings per share. IFRS net income rose 22% to 11.4 billion Swiss francs as a result of lower restructuring costs and the reversal of previous impairment charges.

UCB and Biogen Idec today announced that they have signed exclusive agreements granting UCB the right to commercialize Biogen Idec products in South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, and both develop and commercialize products in China.