Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) announced the 34 science teachers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico who are this year's recipients of the 19th annual Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence.

Boehringer Ingelheim and Ashoka will launch a three-year global initiative to improve health in communities around the world.The "Making More Health" initiative will promote healthy individuals, families and communities by identifying and supporting the most promising solutions to challenge health problems.

Abbott and Biotest AG announced a global agreement to develop and commercialize BT-061, a novel anti-CD4 antibody for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis.

An advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today voted in favor of the overall efficacy but not the overall safety of ACZ885 (canakinumab) to treat gouty arthritis attacks in patients who cannot obtain adequate relief with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or colchicine.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that a pivotal Phase II study with vismodegib showed positive results in people with advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) for whom surgery is considered inappropriate.

Genzyme, a Sanofi company (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced the launch of a new web-based platform, RegistryNXT!SM, to support the International Collaborative Gaucher Group (ICGG) Gaucher Registry.

Novartis held a groundbreaking ceremony to announce the start of construction of a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. The construction of this facility represents the most significant Novartis investment in Russia to date.