GlaxoSmithKline Plc faced strong competition to its respiratory franchise in the US in the first quarter with the result that group sales declined by 2% at constant exchange rates and the company’s core operating profit was flat.
Silence Therapeutics Plc, a UK company exploring potential therapeutics based on RNA interference, has raised £11.4 million in a private equity placement with institutional investors and management to support its ongoing research and development activities.
Sanofi SA continued its momentum towards a recovery of sales and stronger earnings in the first quarter as most of its diversified portfolio showed year-on-year revenue gains measured in constant currencies.
MorphoSys AG is set to install its latest antibody discovery technology at a unit of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US as part of an alliance aimed at identifying new antibodies f
Pfizer Inc’s potential bid for AstraZeneca Plc appeared to be gaining traction following a Pfizer conference with analysts on 28 April and a formal declaration of interest to the London Stock Exchange earlier the same day.
AstraZeneca Plc has issued a statement saying that in the absence of a “specific and attractive proposal” from Pfizer Inc to merge, it would be inappropriate to engage in discussions on the matter.
In a statement to the London Stock Exchange on 28 April, Pfizer Inc confirmed that it has approached AstraZeneca Plc twice about a possible merger, and remains interested in a transaction should this be unanimously recommended by AstraZeneca’s directors.
About 4,000 trials are ongoing in cell-based technology – of which an estimated 1,058 are novel treatments. The cell therapy industry would be transformed if just 100 of these novel treatments successfully completed clinical development and reached the market.
Novartis had net sales of $14 billion for the first quarter, a rise of 3% in constant currency terms and driven by products that have been on the market since 2009.
AstraZeneca Plc secured a 3% gain in first quarter revenue to $6.4 billion leading the chief executive Pascal Soriot to declare that the company is gaining momentum after 14 quarters of no growth.