LONDON, June 19 (Reuters) – AstraZeneca and
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s diabetes drug Onglyza failed to
reduce heart risks in a large clinical study, disappointing
investors who had thought it might demonstrate an edge over
rivals.

The companies, which jointly sell several diabetes drugs,
said on Wednesday the so-called SAVOR trial showed that patients
on Onglyza had no fewer adverse cardiovascular events, such as
heart attacks and strokes, than those on placebo.

LONDON (Reuters) – Pharmaceutical companies need to boost the benefits of drug research by working with regulators and healthcare providers to overhaul the way medicines are approved and paid for, a thinktank backed by investors says.

After years of disappointing research and development (R&D) productivity, a new report backed by leading institutional investors sees “early indications of a recovery”, with U.S. approvals of new drugs last year the highest since 1996.

LONDON (Reuters) – Turning around drugmaker AstraZeneca will be a long haul, with a strategy of revamping research and boosting acquisitions set to take up to four years to pay off, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Speaking as the group unveiled the location for a new global headquarters and research center in Cambridge, England, Pascal Soriot said he was not expecting any short-term fixes for the group, which is struggling from falling sales as patents expire.

LONDON (Reuters) – GlaxoSmithKline is discussing the sale of its thrombosis drug brands Arixtra and Fraxiparine, along with a related French factory, to Aspen Pharmacare in a deal that could be worth some $1 billion.

Britain’s biggest drugmaker said on Tuesday that Aspen had offered to buy the medicines, sales of which are in decline, and it was now in exclusive talks with the South African company about a deal, which is subject to consultation with employees.

LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) – AstraZeneca has chosen a
science park on the southern outskirts of Cambridge, England,
next to the world-renowned Addenbrooke’s Hospital, for its new
$500 million global headquarters and research centre.

Property industry sources told Reuters last month that the
Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC) was the most likely site for
the new facility, which will house some 2,000 employees – a
decision confirmed by the drugmaker on Tuesday.