Oxford University and Novo Nordisk announced the establishment of an international fellowship programme that aims to support the career and scientific development of young, exceptional research talent within diabetes. The partnership will establish a number of postdoctoral fellowship opportunities that will be hosted by Oxford University and funded by Novo Nordisk.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and Polyphor Ltd., a privately held pharmaceutical company, have entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement to develop and commercialise Polyphor's investigational macrocycle antibiotic, POL7080, for patients suffering from bacterial infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The Bayer Group continued its positive business momentum in the third quarter of 2013, with substantial contributions from the Life Science businesses HealthCare and CropScience. Reported sales of the Bayer Group were level year on year (minus 0.2 percent) at EUR 9,643 million (Q3 2012: EUR 9,661 million).

GSK and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have announced the launch of a new joint initiative that will endeavour to make vaccines more resistant to heat, thus reducing the need for refrigeration. GSK and BMGF will invest a combined $1.8 million in early stage research into vaccine thermostability.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported financial results for third-quarter 2013. Reported revenues decreased $310 million, or 2%, which reflects an operational decline of $38 million, or less than 1%, and the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange of $272 million, or 2%. The operational decrease was primarily the result of the continued erosion for branded Lipitor in the U.S., developed Europe and certain other markets.

AstraZeneca today announced the start of the Phase III Windward programme for benralizumab, a potential treatment for severe uncontrolled asthma developed by MedImmune, the company's global biologics research and development arm. The goal of CALIMA, the first study in the Windward programme, is to determine whether benralizumab reduces the number of exacerbations in patients with severe asthma that remains uncontrolled, despite receiving high doses of inhaled corticosteroids in combination with a second controller such as a long-acting beta agonist.

The Global Lung Cancer Coalition (GLCC) announced today, at the 15th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Sydney, Australia, a campaign, supported by Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), to increase the knowledge and understanding of real world challenges facing individuals and families battling lung cancer. 'Lung Cancer: We're Listening' will gather much needed feedback from individuals touched by lung cancer - including patients, carers, family members, friends, healthcare professionals and work colleagues.