Bayer HealthCare AG and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the companies have begun enrolling patients in an international Phase III trial to evaluate Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets for the treatment of patients with radioactive iodine-refractory, locally advanced or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer.

Bristol-Myers Squibb posted third quarter 2009 net sales from continuing operations of $5.5 billion, an increase of 4%, or 7% excluding foreign exchange impact, compared to the same period in 2008.

A long-awaited study presented at the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress in Montreal, Canada, has shown that it is possible for patients with type 2 diabetes to achieve good blood glucose control with a very low rate of major hypoglycaemia[1] even as they intensify their insulin treatment.

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.49 for the third quarter of 2009, an increase of 21 percent compared to $1.23 for the third quarter of 2008. Adjusted net income increased 16 percent to $1,518 million in the third quarter of 2009 compared to $1,308 million in the third quarter of 2008.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported financial results for third-quarter 2009. Revenues were $11.6 billion, a decrease of 3% compared with $12.0 billion in the year-ago quarter. Revenues for third-quarter 2009 compared with the year-ago quarter were unfavorably impacted by approximately $610 million, or 5%, due to foreign exchange and were favorably impacted by $217 million, or 2%, due to a one-time adjustment in the year-ago period for prior years' liabilities for product returns.

- Tasigna produced faster and deeper responses compared to Glivec as first-line treatment in Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia
- First registration study using molecular response as key indicator of patient outcomes; Bcr-Abl biomarker test measures very low levels of residual disease[1],[2]

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) has completed its acquisition of privately held eye care company Visiogen, expanding the company's vision care business with a next-generation accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) technology to address presbyopia for cataract patients.