Abbott has been named to Hispanic Business magazine's list of the nation's best companies for Hispanics. Abbott was recognized as one of the magazine's "Diversity Elite 60" companies for its commitment to Hispanic hiring, promotion, marketing, philanthropy and supplier diversity.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted final approval for the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market its generic version of Procter and Gamble Actonel® (Risedronate Sodium) Tablets, 5 mg, 30 mg and 35 mg.

AstraZeneca announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) Opposition Division has ruled that the European process patent EP 0773940 for Nexium® is valid in amended form, despite an opposition by the German generic manufacturer ratiopharm. The patent has been upheld as granted with regards to claims 1 and 2. Regarding claims 3 and 4, minor amendments have been made.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full (traditional) approval of Aptivus® (tipranavir) capsules. The FDA granted accelerated approval to Aptivus in June 2005; accelerated approval is a regulatory process that expedites the approval of therapies for serious or life-threatening illnesses.

Aclasta® (zoledronic acid 5 mg) has received European Union approval as the first once-yearly treatment for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. The announcement closely follows the recent approval in the US, where the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Aclasta under the brand name Reclast® in August 2007. The European Commission decision applies to all 27 member states, Norway and Iceland.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that it has submitted a file on its cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix™, to the World Health Organization (WHO) for pre-qualification, following the granting of a marketing authorisation approval by regulatory authorities in Europe on 20 September.

Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) announced today that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved ELAPRASE, a human enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Hunter syndrome, for sale and marketing in Japan. Since its U.S. approval in July 2006, ELAPRASE is now approved for marketing and commercial distribution in 34 countries worldwide.