Merck KGgA, of Darmstadt, Germany, reported that a collaboration agreement between its subsidiary, EMD Serono Inc., and Pfizer Inc., of New York, inked in July 2002 for the co-promotion of multiple sclerosis drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) extends until Dec. 31, 2015, according to an appellate court ruling...EMD Serono had contended that the collaboration should end on Dec. 31, 2013, and has asked the court to reconsider its ruling...In separate news, Merck Serono SA, of Geneva, a division of Merck

Merck currently markets Noxafil oral suspension for prophylaxis of invasive Aspergillus and Candida infections in patients, 13 and older, at high risk of developing those infections due to being severely immunocompromised...PeptiDream Inc., of Tokyo, and Ipsen SA, of Paris, entered a research collaboration and license option agreement to discover, evaluate, potentially develop and launch therapeutic peptides to treat serious medical conditions in areas of therapeutic focus for Ipsen

The drug is expected to be available by the end of May...GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, and A*STAR's Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, of Singapore, signed a five-year agreement to develop new evidence-based formulations (EBFs) specifically for emerging markets...EBFs are medicines reformulated to provide additional patient benefit

Merz Pharma Group, of Frankfurt, Germany, said it withdrew its nonbinding proposal to acquire the outstanding common stock of Obagi Medical Products Inc., of Long Beach, Calif., for $22 per share in cash...NovaDel Pharma Inc., of Bridgewater, N.J., signed a definitive agreement to sell its NovaMist technology and certain additional assets, including related patents and trademarks, to Australia's Suda Ltd

Valeant has granted Actavis the exclusive right to co-promote Zovirax cream to obstetricians and gynecologists in the U.S., and Actavis has granted Valeant the exclusive right to co-promote Actavis Specialty Brands' Cordran Tape (flurandrenolide) product in the U.S...and, Kayexalate is prescribed to remove dangerously high levels of potassium in the blood

Covis Pharma Sarl, of Zug, Switzerland, inked a deal with affiliates of Paris-based Sanofi SA to acquire full commercial rights to Nilandron (nilutamide), Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), Rilutek (riluzole), Uroxatral (alfuzosin hydrochloride) and Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfate) in the U.S. Sanofi will retain rights to the products outside of the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed

UCB SA, of Brussels, Belgium, said its Canadian subsidiary received Health Canada approval for Neupro (rotigotine), a non-ergolinic dopamine agonist in patch form, for treating the signs and symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson's disease and moderate to severe idiopathic restless legs syndrome in adults

Ferro Corp., of Cleveland, sold its pharmaceuticals business, Pfanstiehl Laboratories, to PLI Holdings Inc., an affiliate of Med Opportunity Partners LLC, for $16.9 million in cash and an earn-out incentive payment of up to $8 million, payable over two years based on earnings targets...The move is part of a strategy by Ferro to divest non-core businesses and drive growth from its Performance Materials and Performance Chemicals businesses...The exchange offer is being carried out to satisfy obligations

DSP will exclusively discuss with RIJ to collaborate in and outside Japan...RIJ said it aims to commercialize the world's first pharmaceutical iPS cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells...Completion of the rights sale under the APA is subject to certain third-party and Chinese regulatory approvals

Eisai Inc., of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., said the FDA approved Aciphex Sprinkle delayed-release capsules for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children, ages 1 to 11, for up to 12 weeks

The manufacturing center will afford GSK the capabilities to eventually manufacture influenza vaccine based on a cell culture line...A pivotal program of Lu AE58054 is planned to start later this year, starting with a Phase III study in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease testing Lu AE58054 as an adjunct treatment to donepezil

Under terms of the agreement, Actavis can launch its generic version of Crestor 67 days prior to July 8, 2016, the expiration of pediatric exclusivity, at a fee of 39 percent of net sales to AstraZeneca...The FDA granted tentative approval to Actavis' ANDA on June 6, 2011

Ltd., enabling Simcere Vaxtec to resume production of its influenza vaccine

Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, and Nagasaki University signed a collaborative research agreement to discover new drugs for the treatment of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) caused by dengue virus...In separate news, Astellas signed a deal to access the TSUBAME2.0 supercomputer at the Tokyo Institute of Technology to discover candidates for NTDs caused by dengue virus

Cancer Research Technology, the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK, and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said they were collaborating with Janssen Biotech Inc., a unit of New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson, to discover a potential new multiple myeloma drug

The FDA stated that bleeding rates associated with new use of Pradaxa do not appear to be higher than those with new use of warfarin, which is consistent with observations from the pivotal RE-LY trial

Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, said the European Commission approved expanded options for pre-treatment prior to use of Qutenza (8 percent capsaicin patch

Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., and Luminex Corp., of Austin, Texas, signed a collaboration and license deal to develop a companion diagnostic device that will be evaluated to help screen patients for recruitment into Merck's clinical development program for MK-8931, an oral, beta amyloid precursor protein site cleaving enzyme inhibitor and Merck's lead candidate for Alzheimer's disease...Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., of Tokyo, and the Scripps Research Institute announced plans to expand their

and other affiliates he controls, proposing to acquire outstanding shares not currently owned by the group for $9.56 per American Depositary Share (ADS) or $4.78 per ordinary shares in cash...Simcere's board formed a special committee of independent directors to evaluate the offer