Neuen Forschungsergebnissen zufolge führt die Mobilitätsbehinderung von Menschen mit multipler Sklerose (MS) zu erheblichen Auswirkungen auf die Produktivität am Arbeitsplatz sowie auf das Einkommen der Betroffenen. Fast drei Viertel (72 %) der Befragten gaben an, dass ihre Mobilitätsprobleme ihr Arbeitsleben stark beeinträchtigten, und fast zwei Drittel (64 %) mussten aufgrund ihrer mit MS verbundenen Mobilitätsprobleme Einkommensverluste hinnehmen.¹

Das unabhängige Aufsichtskomitee von Alcon (das "Komitee") hat heute festgehalten, dass Alcon auch im zweiten Quartal 2010 erneut starke Ergebnisse erzielt hat. Der bereinigte Gewinn je Aktie von Alcon in Höhe von USD 2,22 für Q2 2010 bedeutete eine Wachstumsrate von 14,4 % im Jahresvergleich und übertraf die durchschnittliche Konsensschätzung der Wall Street von USD 2,03 je Aktie um 9,4 %. Die starke Zunahme beim Gewinn je Aktie von Alcon wurde von einer 11,3-prozentigen Steigerung beim organischen Umsatz angetrieben, die sich teilweise aus einer 22,3-prozentigen Steigerung beim Umsatz von spitzentechnologischen Intraokularlinsen, einer 17,2-prozentigen Steigerung beim Glaukom-Umsatz und einer 24,2-prozentigen Steigerung beim Umsatz in Schwellenmärkten ergab.

454 Life Sciences, a Roche Company (SWX:RO)(SWX:ROG)(Pink Sheets: RHHBY), has announced promising new results from a multi-site collaborative research study which used the company's Genome Sequencer FLX System to perform HIV drug-resistant mutation detection. The findings were outlined last month at the International HIV & Hepatitis Virus Drug Resistance Workshop in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and follow only weeks after the results from a similar multi-site research study, which used the company's sequencing technology for high-resolution HLA genotyping, were presented at the European Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Conference in Florence, Italy.

The Alcon Independent Director Committee (the "Committee") noted today that Alcon once again delivered strong earnings in the second quarter of 2010. Alcon's 2Q 2010 Adjusted EPS of $2.22 per share represented a year-over-year growth rate of 14.4% and exceeded Wall Street's mean consensus estimate of $2.03 per share by 9.4%. Alcon's strong EPS growth was driven by an 11.3% increase in organic sales resulting, in part, from a 22.3% increase in advanced technology intraocular lens sales, a 17.2% increase in glaucoma sales and a 24.2% increase in emerging market sales.

Alcon, Inc. (NYSE:ACL) reported that global sales rose 12.5 percent to $1.89 billion for the second quarter of 2010, or 11.3 percent excluding the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations and acquisitions. Revenue from acquisitions added 40 basis points to sales growth in the quarter, while foreign currency fluctuations added 80 basis points of growth.

NovImmune, ein Biotech-Unternehmen, das therapeutische monoklonale Antikörper entwickelt, gab heute bekannt, dass ein exklusiver Lizenzierungsvertrag für einen menschlichen monoklonalen Antikörper gegen Interleukin-17 (IL-17) inklusive Back-up-Molekülen mit Genentech, einem Mitglied der Roche Gruppe (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), unterschrieben worden ist. In letzter Zeit hat die Signalisierungskaskade von IL-17 grosses Interesse in der akademischen Forschung und Industrie hervorgerufen, weil sie ein möglicher Ansatzpunkt für die Behandlung von wichtigen und häufigen Krankheiten bietet.

NovImmune, an antibody-focused research and development biotech company, announced today that it successfully entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Genentech Inc. a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) for a proprietary anti-IL-17 fully human monoclonal antibody, and access to back-up antibodies. Recently, the IL-17 signaling pathway has received significant academic and corporate interest as its manipulation may potentially provide new treatment opportunities for major medical conditions.

Factory Reimbursement announced a complete update of its popular catalog of country-specific medical device Reimbursement Reports. Additionally, the Reimbursement Reports are now available for two new markets: The Netherlands and Belgium. Formerly known as the Jacoti Reports, the ready-to-download reports offer the most comprehensive information available about today's medical device reimbursement regulations in seven European Union countries. All are available for purchase online at www.factory-reimbursement.com.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and Exiqon (NASDAQ OMX: EXQ) join marketing forces for Roche Applied Science´s RealTime ready assays and Exiqon`s miRCURY LNA? Universal RT microRNA qPCR system. As indicated by respective links on their websites, each system will complement the cooperator ´s product portfolio. A bundle of measures like webinars and seminars and linked internet appearances are planned to promote the joint offer. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

HOYA announced today that the Company has formed a strategic partnership with Adoptics (Switzerland) through an investment that will fund the development of a shape-changing accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL).

Pantec Biosolutions AG, a privately-owned company developing innovative technologies for transdermal drug delivery, today announced the closing of a CHF 20 million investment achieved by two financing rounds. The StemCell Holding AG, an Austrian investment company in the life sciences sector, acted as lead investor. No further terms were disclosed.