The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved larotrectinib, the first oral TRK inhibitor, under the brand name Vitrakvi®. The approval is for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors with a neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation that are either metastatic or where surgical resection will likely result in severe morbidity, and

Alcon, the eye care division of Novartis, will today hold its first Capital Markets Day for investors and analysts in relation to the previously-announced intention of Novartis to execute a tax-neutral, 100% spinoff of the Alcon business. If the transaction proceeds, shares in Alcon Inc. will be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol "ALC".

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and LabCentral, an innovative, shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for life-sciences and biotech startups, today announced that ReviveMed and Strand Therapeutics are the winners of Bristol-Myers Squibb's 2018 Golden Tickets for LabCentral.

Novartis ranked second in the 2018 Access to Medicine Index (ATMi), up from 3rd place in 2016, in recognition of its long-standing efforts to improve worldwide access to healthcare. Novartis remained the industry leader in access-to-medicine management, and its newly launched Access Principles

Merck, a leading science and technology company, and software company Palantir Technologies, today announced their intent to form a joint venture under the brand name Syntropy. Syntropy is expected to empower scientists and research centers with a collaborative technology platform to advance cancer research, help drive scientific discovery, and improve human lives.

Merck and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced that the Phase III JAVELIN Ovarian 200 trial evaluating avelumab* alone or in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), a type of chemotherapy, compared with PLD did not meet the prespecified primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with platinum-resistant or -refractory ovarian cancer.

MSD Lebanon is looking for an external partner to co-create a digital solution that helps oncologists to stay updated with relevant clinical content about cancer. The solution should consider several channels (web, app, email newsletter, social media, etc) and adapt to the preferences to each user, so they are motivated to access the content regularly over time.