Novo Nordisk has initiated its first phase 1 clinical trial with an oral insulin analogue (NN1952). This milestone releases a USD 2 million payment to Merrion Pharmaceuticals plc, whose GIPET® technology is used in the formulation of NN1952.

Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced an exclusive global licensing agreement with The Rockefeller University (New York, NY) concerning a novel monoclonal antibody, targeting certain specific forms of the Amyloid Beta parenchymal plaque for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Each year, hundreds of undergraduate students from across the United States (U.S.) and Europe participate in the Amgen Scholars Program to gain hands-on laboratory experience under renowned faculty members at the world's leading universities. Now, the Amgen Scholars - past, present and future - will have exclusive access to the online Amgen Scholars Community.

AstraZeneca and Targacept, Inc. announced a collaboration and licence agreement for the global development and commercialisation of TC-5214, Targacept's late-stage investigational product for major depressive disorder (MDD). TC-5214, which recently completed a phase IIb clinical trial, is a nicotinic channel blocker that is thought to treat depression by modulating the activity of various neuronal nicotinic receptor (NNR) subtypes.

The educational resource, "The Value of Medicine, Improving Health... Improving Life," created by Lilly USA (NYSE: LLY), is now available for download. The booklet supports Lilly's commitment to providing "Answers That Matter" and encourages an open dialogue with patients, providers, payers and the public about pharmaceutical industry practices.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded prequalification for global use of Arepanrix™, GSK's adjuvanted H1N1 pandemic vaccine manufactured in Canada. This is the first prequalification for an H1N1 pandemic vaccine, and is a key step in ensuring the vaccine can be distributed to developing countries.

Merck KGaA announced that its US affiliate received a refuse to file letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the New Drug Application (NDA) for Cladribine Tablets, Merck Serono's proprietary investigational oral formulation of cladribine, as a therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).