PHARMACEUTICAL PRESS REVIEW from 1 to 3 April of AboutPharma

Schering: $1.5 billion in cuts by 2012

(The Wall Street Journal online - April 3, 2008)

Schering-Plough to cut $1.5 billion worth of business costs by 2012 y following the indications of a panel of cardiologists who suggest that doctors limit the prescription of the anti-cholesterol drugs Vytorin (simvastatin + ezetimibe) and Zetia (ezetimibe), marketed together with Merck & Co. Among the items affected by the cuts also that of personnel, who will be reduced by 10% (about 5,500 seats). The company said it will reduce both middle and senior management levels and the number of manufacturing facilities.

http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16298

GSK's anti-AIDS drug increases the risk of heart problems

(The Wall Street Journal online - April 3, 2008)

GlaxoSmithKline's anti-AIDS drug Ziagen (abacavir) doubles the risk of heart attacks, a study published in the Lancet found. EMEA said it will seek more information on the medicine, as no conclusions can be drawn about the medicine's safety from the published study.

http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16296

"Cell Therapeutics soars thanks to the opening of EMEA on Xyotax"

(Free Market: page 3, Bloomberg Finance & Markets: page 4, Corriere della Sera: page 37 – 3 April 2008)

Cell Therapeutics' thiol gained 28,53% following news that EMEA has accepted the registration application of Xyotax (paclitaxel poliglumex), a drug for the treatment of lung cancer. Final approval will take 15 to 18 months.