Das Basler Hauptquartier wird nicht mehr geschont. Die offizielle Ankündigung hat niemanden mehr überrascht. Am letzten Freitag gab Roche den Startschuss für ein Sparprogramm bekannt. more

Allosteric modulation company Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SIX: ADXN) announced today that it has observed efficacy in a model of Alzheimer's disease using a recently discovered orally-available drug-candidate. The proprietary molecule specifically inhibits a receptor subtype called the metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGluR2) via negative allosteric modulation (NAM). An Addex mGluR2 NAM is scheduled to enter Phase I clinical testing in healthy volunteers during 2011. more

Regulatory News:

Alcon, Inc. (NYSE: ACL), the world's leader in eye care and cataract surgery, announced its launch of the AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® Multifocal Toric intraocular lens (IOL) outside the United States during the 2010 European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) annual meeting in Paris, France. This new lens is built on Alcon's industry leading AcrySof^® platform and is designed to provide cataract patients that have astigmatism a surgical option that delivers quality vision at all distances with increased spectacle independence.

The World Economic Forum announced yesterday its new class of Technology Pioneers 2011. The most innovative technology startups from around the world were selected. These companies represent the cutting edge in innovation and are poised to have a critical impact on the future of business, industry and society. more

Ascom (US) Inc., a leading provider of on-site wireless communications and clinical alarm notification solutions, is pleased to announce that Eric Brill has joined Ascom (US) Inc. as Channel Sales Director. Brill will focus exclusively on North American sales of the GE Healthcare patient monitoring platform which uses Ascom's wireless communication solutions to enable hospitals to customize, filter and send secondary alarms to clinicians' Ascom Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, pagers and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) handsets.

Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS) announced today the successful outcome of a multi-year trial of INTERCEPT-treated platelet components conducted at the Swiss Red Cross Blood Center in Basel, Switzerland. The INTERCEPT Blood System is a pathogen inactivation treatment designed to protect against transfusion-transmitted diseases.

Index Ventures today announced that Dr Kevin Johnson has formally expanded his relationship with the firm and has joined the team as a Partner in the Life Sciences team. Dr Johnson will focus specifically on seeking out new assets in the biologics area, which will enable Index Ventures to build companies based on the asset-centric model he and Index pioneered.

Dreijährige Nachfolgeuntersuchung der MULTISTRATEGY-Studie zeigt vergleichbare Wirksamkeit, bessere Sicherheit und niedrigere Kosten von AGGRASTAT® als hochdosierter Bolus im Vergleich zu ReoPro® bei STEMI-Patienten, die sich einer Primär-PCI unterziehen

Anergis SA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative specific immunotherapy against allergies, today announced new results one year post-treatment suggesting a long term disease modifying effect of its 5- injection/2-month specific immunotherapy therapy with its lead product AllerT. more

Iroko Cardio International Sàrl announces long-term, three-year, mortality data from the Phase III, open label, multi-national study comparing high-dose bolus (HDB) dosing of AGGRASTAT® (tirofiban) (25mcg/kg bolus followed by a 0.15mcg/kg/min infusion for 18-24 hours) vs. ReoPro® (abciximab) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), presented at the 2010 European Society of Cardiology Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.

Swiss Selexis SA, a leading biotech company designing high-performance and stable mammalian cell lines for the production of protein drugs, and Austrian BIOCRATES Life Sciences AG, a prime developer of metabolite biomarkers, have entered into a co-development agreement with a view to further increasing the drug substance yields from mammalian cell cultures for the pharmaceutical industry. more

«Un pour tous, tous pour un.» Depuis un an, la répartition entre les cantons des réserves des assurances-maladie obéit à la solidarité chère aux Suisses et aux Trois Mousquetaires(24 heuresde samedi). more

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) und Nestlé S.A. kündigten heute an, den Erwerb und Verkauf von ca. 156 Millionen Aktien an Alcon, Inc. (NYSE: ACL) für USD 28,3 Milliarden in bar abgeschlossen zu haben.

Wie die Octapharma AG, einer der weltweit größten privaten Hersteller von Plasma-Produkten, heute bekannt gab, ist die klinische Entwicklung von Uniplas® erfolgreich abgeschlossen worden. Die Produktzulassung wurde bereits in der Europäischen Union beantragt, ein entsprechender Antrag für die USA wird zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt gestellt.

In fourth graph, fourth sentence: the amount of PPh given to the volunteers should be 600mL (sted. 60mL)

Octapharma AG, one of the largest private manufacturers of plasma products in the world, announced today that the clinical development for Uniplas® has been successfully completed. The product has been filed for registration in Europe and will be submitted later in the USA.

Der unabhängige Verwaltungsratsausschuss («IDC») von Alcon nimmt Kenntnis vom Vollzug der Übernahme des noch bestehenden Anteils der Nestlé AG («Nestlé») an der Alcon, Inc. («Alcon») durch die Novartis AG («Novartis»). Die Transaktion, durch die der Anteil von Novartis an Alcon auf rund 77 Prozent erhöht wird, erfolgte gemäss dem «Purchase and Option Agreement» zwischen Nestlé und Novartis vom 6. April 2008. Der Vollzug der Transaktion zwischen Nestlé und Novartis war angekündigt und hat keinen Einfluss auf die Position des IDC im Hinblick auf den Fusionsvorschlag von Novartis an die Minderheitsaktionäre.

The Alcon Independent Director Committee (the "IDC") notes the closing of Novartis AG's ("Novartis") acquisition of Nestlé SA's ("Nestlé") remaining stake in Alcon, Inc. ("Alcon"). The transaction, which increases Novartis' stake in Alcon to approximately 77 percent, was consummated pursuant to the Purchase and Option Agreement entered into by Nestlé and Novartis on April 6, 2008. The closing of the Nestlé/Novartis transaction is an expected step and does not impact the IDC's position with respect to Novartis' merger proposal to minority shareholders.

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) and Nestlé S.A. announced today that they have completed the purchase and sale of approximately 156 million shares of Alcon, Inc. (NYSE: ACL) for US$28.3 billion in cash.

Dr. Jürgen Raths wurde zum Präsident und CEO von Iroko Cardio International Sàrl ernannt, einem neu geschaffenen Unternehmen, das sich auf die weltweite Kommerzialisierung von Aggrastat® (Tirofiban) außerhalb der USA konzentriert. Iroko Cardio International hat seinen Geschäftssitz in Genf, in der Schweiz.

Dr. Jürgen Raths has been appointed President and CEO of Iroko Cardio International Sàrl, a newly created business entity focusing on the commercialization of Aggrastat® (Tirofiban) world-wide outside the USA. Iroko Cardio International operates out of Geneva, Switzerland.

Allosteric modulation company Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SIX:ADXN) announced today that the Phase I studies required to commence Phase II testing of ADX71149 have been satisfactorily completed. Subject to regulatory authorizations, Phase IIa studies in schizophrenia and anxiety, are scheduled to start enrolling patients in the first quarter of 2011. more