Against a long run of disappointing lupus trials, Benlysta met the primary endpoint in its first Phase III systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) trial, and all eyes are now fixed on the BLISS-76 data due in 2010. If Benlysta receives US approval it will be the first SLE drug to do so for 50 years, but while encouraged Datamonitor remains cautious due to the propensity for failure in SLE trials.
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Mobile Money Transfer is positioned to exercise considerable transformational effect on developing economies, a crucial factor for wider world economic growth. Mobile Money also enables financial services and money transfers – often initiated by urban and international immigrants – to reach poor people in rural areas. Mobile remittance services will form the first commercially viable and sustainable opportunity to reach the unbanked with low cost, no-frills financial services.
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Suntech Power Holdings, a manufacturer of photovoltaic modules, has entered into a strategic agreement with China Huadian New Energy Development to develop a total of 500MW of utility-scale and commercial roof-top solar projects in China’s sun rich western provinces, Jiangsu province and Shanghai over the next three years.
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French tire manufacturer Michelin has reported that it will introduce the new X MultiWay XD, a multi-purpose tire for truck drive axles, in August 2009.
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Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the Sanofi-Aventis Group, has received an order from the French Ministry of Health to produce a vaccine against the novel A influenza virus.
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Continental Airlines has named Jeff Smisek, the airline’s president, COO and a member of the board of directors, as chairman and CEO, effective January 1, 2010.
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Harley-Davidson has reported a net income of $19.8 million or $0.08 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2009, compared to $222.8 million or $0.95 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2008.
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Power of the Dream Ventures, a Hungarian technology acquisition and development company, has reported that Genetic Immunity, a US/Hungarian biopharmaceutical company, has completed patient enrollment in its Phase II randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and antiretroviral activity of DermaVir patch in treatment-naive HIV-1-infected patients.

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Mars Snackfood US has announced the launch of Dove Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter.The new addition to the Dove Chocolate portfolio is currently available at retail stores nationwide in both Promises laydown bags and single bars, said Mars Snackfood US.

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Boehringer Ingelheim has reported that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has issued a positive opinion recommending the approval of a once daily formulation for Mirapexin/Sifrol, in all countries of the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
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