Bayer completes acquisition of Steigerwald
Bayer has completed the acquisition of Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany. The transaction was cleared by the relevant antitrust authorities. Christian Sarto (43), previously responsible for HealthCare mergers and acquisitions at Bayer AG, has been named as Steigerwald's new Managing Director. Steigerwald specializes in pharmacy-only herbal medicines. Its product portfolio includes Iberogast® for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders and Laif® for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. 
Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and the Curie Institute, through its Curie-Cancer partnership under the Institut Carnot label, announce the establishment of a three-year research collaboration to identify new therapeutic targets for the development of treatments for ovarian cancer. The aim of the collaboration between Sanofi and Curie-Cancer is to revisit the basic biology of this type of cancer through a translational research approach. The Institut Curie has a large collection of cryopreserved tumor samples that are well characterized clinically, histologically and biologically. 
The Novartis Prizes for Immunology are awarded to three scientists for their groundbreaking research into the biology of immune system T cells that advanced the prevention and treatment of a variety of diseases. The Prize ceremony will take place at the 15th International Congress of Immunology in Milan, Italy on August 23, 2013. The Novartis Prize for Basic Immunology 2013 is shared by Tim R. Mossman, Ph.D., Director of the Human Immunology Center at the University of Rochester and Robert L. Coffman, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Dynavax. 
Abbott today announced CE Mark in Europe for the XIENCE Xpedition™ 48 Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System, the first-of-its-kind treatment for very long blockages in the vessels that supply blood to the heart due to coronary artery disease (CAD). XIENCE Xpedition 48 leverages the proven design and clinical outcomes of the XIENCE family of drug eluting stents in a unique 48 mm length. Abbott continues to offer physicians more options for the treatment of patients with complex coronary artery disease and is the only major manufacturer to offer a coronary drug eluting stent greater than 38 mm in length. XIENCE Xpedition 48 is the latest in a long history of stent innovations pioneered by Abbott, which was the first company to offer physicians size-specific metallic stents for use in small and large vessels of the heart. 
Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced the launch of the EspeRare Foundation, a nonprofit organization set up by three Merck Serono employees, in the framework of the Merck Serono Entrepreneur Partnership Program (EPP). Merck Serono will donate an initial €2.8 million funding to the EspeRare Foundation. In addition, Merck Serono will transfer the rights of rimeporide, a compound previously developed for heart failure by Merck. The Foundation will investigate this compound in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a lethal genetic rare disease affecting 1 in every 3 600 males.