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.

Novartis Group Company associates across 32 countries will participate in a new Novartis health and well-being initiative during the first Novartis Be Healthy Celebration Week from September 19-23, 2011.

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) announced new long-term data showing that Prolia® (denosumab) treatment for up to eight years in postmenopausal women with low bone mass or osteoporosis was associated with a continued increase in bone mineral density (BMD), an important determinant of bone strength, and a persistent reduction in markers of bone turnover.

Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, issued the following statement on GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], Merck's vaccine to protect against certain diseases caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18.