Roche subsidiary Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. said their first Phase III trial with anti-CD20 antibody ocrelizumab achieved its primary endpoint of improving ACR20 scores in rheumatoid arthritis patients. (BioWorld Today)

A year after GlaxoSmithKline plc backed away from two cancer drugs covered under its collaboration with Cytokinetics Inc., the big pharma handed back rights to the third and final compound as well. (BioWorld Today)

ZymoGenetics Inc. continued its transformation from a discovery engine to a development and sales organization, this time out-licensing its preclinical anti-IL21 antibody to former parent company Novo Nordisk A/S. (BioWorld Today)

Pfizer Inc. ventured out of its comfort zone last week, stepping away from the world of primary care blockbusters like Lipitor (atorvastatin), Celebrex (celecoxib) and Viagra (sildenafil) and into the historically biotech territory of ultra-orphan diseases.