For the Bayer Group, the first quarter of 2013 was marked by the positive development of its Life Sciences businesses. "HealthCare and CropScience got off to a good start in our anniversary year. Our new pharmaceutical products especially grew at a dynamic pace," said Management Board Chairman Dr. Marijn Dekkers when the interim report for the first quarter was published.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) reported financial results for the first quarter of 2013, and confirmed GAAP EPS and non-GAAP EPS guidance ranges for 2013. Bristol-Myers Squibb posted first quarter 2013 net sales of $3.8 billion, a decrease of 27% compared to the same period a year ago, following the U.S. patent expiration of Avapro®/Avalide® in March 2012 and Plavix® in May 2012. Excluding Plavix and Avapro/Avalide, net sales grew by 10% compared to the first quarter of 2012.

AstraZeneca today announced that the revenue for the first quarter was $6,385 million, down 12 percent at constant exchange rates (CER). Losses of exclusivity for Seroquel IR and Atacand in many markets, and for Crestor in Canada, were the key drivers for the revenue decline. Growth for Symbicort, Brilinta, Iressa and the inclusion of the Amylin diabetes products delivered more than $250 million of revenue growth at CER in the quarter.

Novartis net sales increased 2% (+4% cc) to USD 14.0 billion in the first quarter, with all divisions contributing to growth. Currency had a negative impact of 2 percentage points. Excluding the impact of patent expiries, underlying sales grew 7%. This was fueled by growth products such as Gilenya, Afinitor, Tasigna, Galvus, Lucentis, Xolair, Arcapta Neohaler/Onbrez Breezhaler and Jakavi, which together contributed USD 4.2 billion or 30% of Group net sales, up 14% over the prior-year period.

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013. Worldwide sales of nearly $5.4 billion increased 3.5 percent on an operational basis, consistent with previous guidance, driven by 9.0 percent operational sales growth in Nutrition and 6.4 percent operational sales growth in Diagnostics.

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) and Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (hereafter, Ranbaxy) today announced synergy in Brazil to expand the business of both companies in the country. As part of this synergy, Ranbaxy will support Daiichi Sankyo's Brazilian subsidiary, Daiichi Sankyo Brasil Farmaceutica Ltda. (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo Brazil), to enter the branded generics market, in addition to its established business of providing innovative products.

Group sales rose 6% to 11.6 billion Swiss francs as demand for Roche's cancer medicines and clinical laboratory products grew strongly in the first three months of the year. Higher sales of Tamiflu due to a severe flu season in North America also supported Roche's performance in the first quarter.