Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ilaris® (canakinumab) for the treatment of active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) in patients aged 2 years and older. Ilaris is the first interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) inhibitor approved for SJIA and the only treatment approved specifically for SJIA that is given as a once-monthly subcutaneous injection[1].

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Zhejiang Beta Pharma Co., Ltd. (Zhejiang Beta Pharma) today announced that the companies have signed an agreement to form a joint venture to commercialize Amgen's Vectibix® (panitumumab) in the Chinese market. Together, Amgen and Zhejiang Beta Pharma aim to quickly and efficiently deliver Vectibix to patients in China.

Boehringer Ingelheim has joined the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC). The consortium intends to promote research into protein structures and epigenetics that could pave the way for the development of novel therapies for previously uncurable diseases. As a member of the SGC, Boehringer Ingelheim will help fund precompetitive drug research aimed at bringing new, more effective medicines to patients faster.

Novartis has reported that new data with the eye drug Lucentis® (ranibizumab), first licensed in June 2006, is highlighted in a total of 209 abstracts at the 2013 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting this week.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced that results from a prespecified subanalysis of the ARISTOTLE trial were published in Circulation, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. Results from this subanalysis showed that the reductions in stroke or systemic embolism, number of major bleeding events and mortality demonstrated with Eliquis® (apixaban) compared to warfarin in the ARISTOTLE trial were consistent across subgroups defined based on levels of International Normalized Ratio (INR) control in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) announced a funding injection of up to £5m from the Wellcome Trust to support its open approach to discovering and developing urgently needed new treatments for diseases of the developing world. The funding will move early-stage research to the next level, to find new medicines for diseases such as TB, malaria, Leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness.

H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) reports first quarter revenue of DKK 4,576 million corresponding to an increase of 21%. Profit from operations (EBIT) in the quarter increased 73% to DKK 1,526 million corresponding to an EBIT margin of 33%. The quarter is positively impacted by non-recurring items from milestones and divestiture of the mature US product-portfolio.