Business & Industry News Channel
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announces that it has decided to withdraw the European Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for DAYTRANA™ (methylphenidate transdermal system) for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 
A comprehensive analysis published today in The Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals, from the ABSORB clinical trial demonstrated that Abbott's bioabsorbable drug eluting stent, currently in development, successfully treated coronary artery disease and was absorbed into the walls of treated arteries within two years. The two-year data also demonstrated that after the bioabsorbable device was absorbed, the treated blood vessels appeared to move and function similar to unstented arteries. 
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), has announced the signing of an agreement with the Mexican authorities to build a € 100 million facility to manufacture influenza vaccine in Mexico. The announcement was made during a ceremony attended by Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico, and Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, who was in Mexico City for a State visit.
Roche's Annual General Meeting has approved all the Board of Directors' proposals. The 703 shareholders in attendance, representing 144,334,099, or 90.2% of a total of 160,000,000 bearer shares, approved the 2008 Annual Report and financial statements. They also authorised a +9% increase in the dividend to 5.00 Swiss francs per share and non-voting equity. 
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) and Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) announced that their Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which Merck and Schering-Plough will combine, under the name Merck, in a stock and cash transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders will receive 0.5767 shares and $10.50 in cash for each share of Schering-Plough.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) has announced a global collaboration with Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd. and Teijin Pharma Limited for the development and commercialization of NTC-801, a selective inhibitor of the acetylcholine-activated potassium ion channel (IKACh), currently in Phase I development in Japan, for the maintenance of normal sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation.
NICE has issued its final appraisal determinationadvising against NHS funding for Tyverb® (lapatinib), a treatment for an aggressive form of advanced breast cancer (ErbB2-positive).(1) Lapatinib (in combination with Xeloda® [capecitebine]) offers a new treatment option for women whose disease has returned despite treatment with standard chemotherapies and Herceptin® (trastuzumab).(2)