The loss of patent on Lipitor looks set to cost up to 180 jobs at two Pfizer plants in Cork. Linda Johnson examines the success of the lucrative cholesterol lowering drug

Swiss drug maker Novartis AG said its fourth-quarter net profit fell 47% to 1.21 billion US dollars.

Breast cancer experts are hailing what could be some of the biggest advances in more than a decade – two new medicines that significantly delay the time until women with very advanced cases get worse.

DRUGMAKERS GlaxoSmithKline and Eli Lilly posted weaker than expected quarterly revenue, continuing an industry theme and underscoring challenges from price cuts and a lack of new products.

SWISS pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG said yesterday it has successfully produced a first batch of swine flu vaccine weeks ahead of expectations.

Wall Street started the week with a mixed performance today, with many investors moving to the sidelines as they wait for quarterly profit reports.

Wall Street extended its November rally into a new week today, betting that an upcoming series of economic reports will show strength in the overall economy with inflation contained.

Wall Street rallied today as oil prices tumbled, the service sector reported strong growth and investors embraced large-cap stocks such as Wal-Mart Stores, Coca-Cola and Home Depot.

Wall Street slogged through an uneven trading session today, finishing mixed as investors grappled with troubling consumer spending patterns, slower growth from the manufacturing sector and the latest news of Hurricane Katrina’s damage.

A near 6% hike in crude oil prices sent US stocks plunging today.

Stocks were mixed in a volatile session on Wall Street today, with blue chips weighed down by uncertainty over oil prices and a new investigation of the insurance industry.

Stocks were mixed in a volatile session on Wall Street today, with blue chips weighed down by uncertainty over oil prices and a new investigation of the insurance industry.

Sanofi-Synthelabo SA, France’s second-largest drugmaker, may struggle to outbid Novartis AG for Aventis SA because the Swiss competitor is more than twice its size and has more cash to trump its hostile €46.5 billion ($55 billion) offer, said investors including Holger Geissler.

Shares of Aventis SA, France’s No.1 drug maker, rose as much as 2.6% on optimism the government won’t oppose an effort by Switzerland’s Novartis AG to top Sanofi- Synthelabo SA’s €45.8 billion ($55 billion) hostile offer.

Novartis AG, considering an offer for Aventis SA, has formed a US partnership to make a cheap version of the French company’s anti-clot treatment Lovenox.

EUROPE'S three biggest drug companies will showcase new products at three keenly-awaited research and development presentations in the coming weeks, but none has a quick fix for sceptical investors, analysts say.

NOVARTIS AG, Europe’s third-biggest drugmaker, said second-quarter profit rose 2.3% as the company boosted sales of its top two products, the hypertension drug diovan and leukemia medicine gleevec.