Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ACTEMRA (tocilizumab, RoACTEMRA in the European Union) for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist therapies.

Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) reported that preliminary fourth-quarter revenue was $1.08 billion, compared with $1.17 billion in the same period in 2008. For the year, revenue was $4.5 billion compared with $4.6 billion in 2008. Excluding the Genetic Disease business, which was affected by a product supply interruption, fourth-quarter revenue grew 24 percent compared with the same period in 2008 and full-year revenue grew 15 percent.

Novartis announced that Fanapt(TM) (iloperidone) tablets are now available for use across the US for the acute treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Fanapt is a twice-daily, oral antipsychotic, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2009.

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved its XIENCE V(R) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Japan is the second largest drug eluting stent market in the world after the United States, with approximately 200,000 stent procedures performed each year.

AstraZeneca has entered into an agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and affiliates (collectively "Teva") to settle patent litigation regarding Teva's proposed generic version of AstraZeneca's Nexium delayed-release capsules (esomeprazole magnesium).

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Strides Arcolab (BSE: 532531, NSE: STAR) announced a new collaboration, wherein Pfizer will commercialize off-patent sterile injectable and oral products in the United States through its Established Products Business Unit. These finished dosage form products will be licensed and supplied by Strides and Onco Laboratories Limited and Onco Therapies Limited, two joint ventures between Strides and Aspen, South Africa, in which each has a 50% ownership interest.

Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a New York based U.S. Company of Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (Corporate Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan) and PharmaForce, Inc., (Columbus, Ohio, USA), a privately-held fullyintegrated specialty injectable pharmaceutical company, announced today that PharmaForce has been acquired by Luitpold.