The Bayer Group once again considerably improved its sales and earnings in 2007, and also exceeded its performance targets. "2007 was Bayer's most successful year to date," said Management Board Chairman Werner Wenning on Thursday at the Spring Financial News Conference in Leverkusen.

Life and Style Expert Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade approach to cooking, which involves using 70 percent store-bought items and 30 percent homemade items in every meal, makes life easier for millions of busy Americans. Unknown to most, Lee's signature style was strongly influenced by her grandmother, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic, progressive disease of the immune system that causes joint damage as well as chronic pain, stiffness, swelling and fatigue.

AstraZeneca today announced that its HORIZON III Phase II/III head-to-head study of RECENTIN™ (cediranib, AZD2171) with chemotherapy versus bevacizumab (Avastin™) with chemotherapy in patients with first line metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) will be progressing directly into Phase III at 20mg.

Pfizer said today that it is voluntarily withdrawing Lipitor advertising and promotion featuring Dr. Robert Jarvik and committing to ensuring greater clarity in the roles and responsibilities of its spokespeople in its consumer advertising and promotion.

Novartis announced the opening of a new research institute in Siena with a nonprofit mission to exclusively focus on the development of vaccines for diseases of the developing world. The Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health (NVGH) is the first institute of its kind to be set up by a major vaccine manufacturer.

Nycomed successfully completed the acquisition of BradleyPharmaceuticals, a company focused on niche therapeutic markets in the United States. Bradley will be integrated into the US specialty business Nycomed US. The acquisition makes Nycomed US a leader in the US dermatology market, with combined annualised dermatology sales of $450 million.

AstraZeneca today announced it intends to seek reconsideration or reversal of a verdict in the Montgomery County Circuit Court awarding $40 million in compensatory damages and $175 million in punitive damages for alleged false and misleading reporting of prices for drugs reimbursed by the Alabama State Medicaid Agency in the US.