Novartis has presented new Phase III data at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) congress demonstrating the potential for its portfolio of once-daily inhaled therapies to help patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to maintain more active and productive lives.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced the results of the Phase II study TDM4450g in patients with previously untreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The study compared trastuzumab emtansine (also known as T-DM1) to standard treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab) plus docetaxel chemotherapy.

Novartis announced new data from the pivotal Phase III IMPRES clinical trial showing that the investigational therapy QTI571 (imatinib) significantly improved exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) after 24 weeks compared with placebo[1].

Boehringer Ingelheim announced enrolment has commenced in its TOviTO Phase III clinical trial program. It will investigate tiotropium plus olodaterol in a once-daily fixed-dose combination for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Ambrx, Inc. today announced a collaboration under which Bristol-Myers Squibb will receive exclusive worldwide rights to research, develop and commercialize biologics based on Ambrx's research surrounding the Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF-21) protein, for potential use in treating type 2 diabetes, and the Relaxin hormone, for potential use in treating heart failure.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), is donating to the World Health Organization (WHO) a vaccine strain used for polio eradication. The biological material given by Sanofi Pasteur is the original viral seed used to produce large quantities of oral polio vaccines (OPV) against type 3 poliovirus.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., today announced an agreement to expand Bristol-Myers Squibb's territorial rights to develop and commercialize the anti-PD-1 antibody known as BMS-936558/ONO-4538, and to create a strategic alliance for the co-development and co-commercialization of ORENCIA® (abatacept) in Japan.