OncoTrack, an international consortium of over 60 scientists, managed by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, has launched one of Europe's largest collaborative academic-industry research projects to develop and assess novel approaches for identification of new markers for colon cancer.

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Benlysta® (belimumab) for the treatment of adult patients with active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are receiving standard therapy.

AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review a New Drug Application (NDA) for dapagliflozin, an investigational compound for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ) announced that its Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Genzyme shareholders accept the sanofi-aventis revised tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Genzyme common stock for $74.00 and one contingent value right, per share.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) announced that the ORAL Sync Phase 3 study (A3921046) of tofacitinib (development code: CP-690,550), formerly known as tasocitinib, an investigational, novel, oral JAK inhibitor, being studied in moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), met its primary endpoints

Bayer HealthCare today signed an extension of its agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to fight Chagas disease, a deadly and neglected tropical disease (NTD). The five-year extension will come into effect in April 2012, when the previous agreement signed in 2007 had been set to expire.

As part of its ongoing mission to serve cancer patients, Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer(R) initiative announced the launch of its enhanced website that provides cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers a 'one-stop shop' of essential resources spanning cancer prevention, education, patient care, advocacy, and financial support.