Novartis has reached an agreement to acquire an 85% stake in the Chinese vaccines company Zhejiang Tianyuan Bio-Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. as part of a strategic initiative to build a vaccines industry leader in this country and expand the Group's limited presence in this fast-growing market segment.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) outlined its global plans following the completion of Merck's merger with Schering-Plough Corporation. The new Merck is a global health care leader aimed at providing innovative, distinctive products and services that save and improve lives, while satisfying customer needs and creating long term shareholder value.

A pivotal efficacy trial of RTS,S, the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate, is now underway in seven African countries: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The trial, which is expected to involve up to 16,000 children, is on schedule, with more than 5,000 children already enrolled, researchers announced Tuesday at the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Pan-African Malaria Conference.

Novartis announced a USD 1 billion investment over the next five years, increasing R&D activities in China and confirming Novartis' long term commitment to China's further economic development, health reform and improving the health care of the Chinese people. The Novartis investment will include a significant expansion of The Novartis Institute of BioMedical Research (CNIBR) in Shanghai.

Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) and Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) announced the initiation of CONTACT and CONSTELLATION, two Phase 3 trials of the investigational drug dimebon (latrepirdine)* in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) has completed its acquisition of Evalve, Inc., the global leader in the development of devices for minimally invasive repair of mitral valves. The acquisition provides Abbott with a leading presence in the growing area of non-surgical treatment for structural heart disease.

In the third quarter of 2009, sanofi-aventis generated net sales of €7,400 million, up 8.0% on a reported basis. Exchange rate movements had a favorable effect of 2.0 percentage points, with the appreciation of the U.S. dollar (and to a lesser extent the yen) against the euro more than offsetting the unfavorable effects of some other currencies.