Media Releases
General Interest
01. December 2008
6th Roche Children's Walk: some 14000 employees from 100 sites worldwide walk today to support children in need
On 1st December for the sixth consecutive year, Roche will be holding a sponsored worldwide walk to raise money to help orphans ...
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25. November 2008
Roche signs definitive agreement to acquire Memory Pharmaceuticals
Roche and Memory Pharmaceuticals today announced that the two companies have signed a definitive merger agreement for Roche ...
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24. November 2008
Roche to develop alternative project to planned office high-rise
Roche has decided for technical reasons not to continue with its office high-rise in the form originally planned. It became ...
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24. November 2008
New phase III study of Avastin in advanced breast cancer meets its primary endpoint of increasing the time patients live without their disease getting worse
Third study confirming the benefit of Avastin in breast cancer shows that Avastin can be effectively combined with commonly ...
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21. November 2008
RoActemra Receives Positive Opinion in Europe for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Roche today announced that the European Committee on Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) has given a positive recommendation for ...
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13. November 2008
Management Change Corporate Communications
Effective January 1, 2009, Per-Olof Attinger will be appointed Head of Corporate Communications and Member of the Enlarged ...
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07. November 2008
Tarceva brings new hope to patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Roche today announced that the SATURN (SequentiAl Tarceva in UnResectable NSCLC) study met its primary endpoint of progression ...
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27. October 2008
New data shows ACTEMRA inhibits progression of joint destruction and improves physical function of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Roche announced today that the innovative new therapy ACTEMRA (tocilizumab) can significantly inhibit structural damage to ...
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21. October 2008
Roche posts sustained double-digit sales growth for the first nine months of 2008
Sales by the Roche Group in the first nine months of 2008 increased by 6% in local currencies (-2% in Swiss francs; 13% in US dollars) to 33.3 billion Swiss francs. Excluding Tamiflu pandemic sales to governments and corporations, sales rose 10% (2% in Swiss francs; 17% in US dollars). The rise in the Swiss franc against most currencies, particularly against the US dollar, resulted in Swiss franc growth being eight percentage points lower than growth in local currencies.
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17. October 2008
Roche honors outstanding efforts to develop alternative methods in animal testing
Roche today announced the winners of its global 3Rs Award Program which rewards innovation and continuous improvement in animal ...
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07. October 2008
Pivotal Phase III study shows MabThera delays disease progression in patients with relapsed or refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia
Roche announced today that a Phase III study investigating MabThera (rituximab) in combination with chemotherapy has shown ...
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06. October 2008
Roche announces topline outcomes for Avastin-Tarceva combination study in advanced lung cancer
Phase III data shows evidence of potential benefit for patients with advanced lung cancer. Roche today announced topline results ...
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03. October 2008
Genentech, Glycart and Roche enter into collaboration agreement for potential cancer therapy
Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA), GlycArt, a company wholly-owned by Roche, and Roche (SWX: ROG) have entered into a collaboration ...
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01. October 2008
Roche invests 215 million Swiss francs in diagnostics facility at Penzberg
Roche is investing 215 million Swiss francs (136 million euros) in research, development and production at its site in Penzberg, ...
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30. September 2008
Roland Wetzel to become new Director of the Tinguely Museum
Roche reaffirms its strong and lasting commitment to the Museum. The Board of Directors of the Tinguely Museum has appointed ...
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18. September 2008
FDA issues complete response letter to Roche for Actemra Biologics License Application
Roche today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter for the Biologics ...
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16. September 2008
New data confirms Avastin as the only biologic to demonstrate overall survival when used first-line in metastatic colorectal cancer patients with K-RAS (wild-type) gene status
Avastin (bevacizumab) remains the only biologic to provide overall survival (OS) benefit when used as first-line treatment ...
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10. September 2008
Roche to present data showing progress in treating lung, gastric and brain cancers at ESMO
More than 100 Roche abstracts have been accepted for the biggest cancer congress in Europe, the European Society for Medical ...
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08. September 2008
Changes in Corporate Communications
After more than 11 years with Roche, Rolf Schläpfer, Head of Corporate Communications, has decided to resign from his ...
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29. August 2008
Toshio Hosokawa is fifth Roche Commissions composer
Roche will be presenting the commission for the fifth work in the Roche Commissions series to the Japanese composer Toshio ...
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15. August 2008
Roche and the Chocos Village Project in Peru
Roche and the Chocos Village Project in Peru: making a lasting difference to people`s lives
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15. August 2008
Roche and Meda agree on product transactions
Divestment of four Roche pharmaceutical products to Meda underlines strong focus on key therapy areas
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13. August 2008
Roche Continents: creativity and innovation in Arts and Science
The Salzburg Festival and Roche invite 100 students from across Europe to Austria to attend the second edition of their joint ...
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30. July 2008
FDA Advisory Committee recommends approval of Actemra for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
First interleukin-6 inhibitor (IL-6) to offer new therapeutic option for rheumatoid arthritis
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24. July 2008
Statement - Roche has not incorporated "a molecule" into Mircera
Roche would like to correct statements suggesting that the company has incorporated ‘a molecule’ into Mircera ...
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23. July 2008
Roche starts acquisition process of ARIUS to gain access to new screening platform for antibody therapeutics
Roche and ARIUS Research Inc. today announced that the two companies have signed a definitive agreement for Roche to acquire ...
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22. July 2008
Roche acquires Mirus to advance research in the field of RNAi delivery
Roche and Mirus Bio Corporation announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Roche will ...
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21. July 2008
Roche posts very good results: strong market outperformance – guidance confirmed
Group sales increase 10% in local currencies (excluding Tamiflu pandemic sales) to 22 billion Swiss francs(+1% in Swiss francs; +18% in US dollars)
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21. July 2008
Roche makes offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Genentech for US $89.00 per share in cash
Roche, a world-leading healthcare company, announced today that it has proposed to acquire the outstanding publicly held interest ...
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26. June 2008
European approval for Roche's Pegasys personalises treatment for a subgroup of hepatitis C patients: chance for cure with only four months of treatment
Roche also announces start of NCORE study to determine best length of treatment in patients who do not experience a rapid ...
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24. June 2008
Roche's tender offer to increase ownership stake in Chugai successful
Roche today announced that its ownership stake in Chugai will increase from 50.1% to 59.9% following the successful completion ...
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20. June 2008
Roche sets up international Postdoc Fellowship programme
Systematic encouragement of outstanding research at the interface between academia and industry
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13. June 2008
New data reveals Actemra is the first and only biologic drug to show superiority over current standard of care in rheumatoid arthritis
Two new international studies also show high remission rates in patients treated with Actemra
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10. June 2008
Roche moves investigational diabetes drug, Taspoglutide, into Phase III clinical trials
Positive Phase II results of Roche and Ipsen's first once-weekly human GLP-1 presented at the American Diabetes Association ...
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31. May 2008
Study confirms that Avastin significantly increases chance of living without disease progression in metastatic breast cancer
Avastin (bevacizumab), significantly improves the time patients with metastatic breast cancer live without their disease getting ...
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22. May 2008
Roche to increase its stake in Chugai from 50.1% to 59.9%
Roche announced today that it intends to increase its stake in Chugai from 50.1% to 59.9%. Roche has invited Chugai shareholders ...
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09. May 2008
Actemra inhibits joint damage and improves physical function of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Roche announced today that Actemra (tocilizumab) can significantly inhibit structural damage to joints in patients with rheumatoid ...
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17. April 2008
Roche continues solid sales growth in first quarter of 2008 - both divisions significantly outpace their markets
Double-digit growth of key products more than outweighs one-time impact of major Tamiflu pandemic orders in year-earlier period
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16. April 2008
Actemra approved in Japan to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Roche announced today that their alliance partner company Chugai has received approval in Japan for the use of its innovative ...
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15. April 2008
Roche fully acquires privately-owned biotech company Piramed
Roche announced today that it will acquire Piramed Limited, a privately-owned UK company focusing on therapeutics targeting ...
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04. March 2008
Roche raises dividend by 35 percent
Annual General Meeting approves Annual Report and financial statements for 2007
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29. February 2008
Herceptin approved in Japan for early treatment in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer
Roche announced today that its majority-owned subsidiary Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd received approval from the Japanese ...
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23. February 2008
FDA grants accelerated approval of Avastin in combination with paclitaxel chemotherapy for first-line treatment of patients with advanced HER2-negative breast cancer
Roche today announced that Genentech has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accelerated approval for Avastin(bevacizumab), ...
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19. February 2008
Roche Completes Tender Offer for Ventana Shares
Roche (SWX: ROG.VX; RO.S; OTCQX; RHHBY) and Ventana Medical Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: VMSI) today announced that Roche has completed ...
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13. February 2008
Second phase III study of Avastin in 1st line metastatic breast cancer meets its primary endpoint
Roche announced today that a phase III study in metastatic breast cancer investigating Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination ...
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08. February 2008
Roche purchases shares in tender offer for Ventana
Roche today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Rocket Acquisition Corporation has accepted for payment all shares ...
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30. January 2008
Annual Media Conference
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30. January 2008
Record operating results for Roche again in 2007
Earnings per share grow twice as fast as sales - Double-digit sales growth for seventh year in succession - Sharp 35% dividend ...
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28. January 2008
Avastin receives broad label extension in Europe for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Many more patients can now benefit from Avastin's proven survival benefits. Roche announced today that the European Commission ...
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25. January 2008
MabThera meets study primary endpoint in improving disease symptoms when used as first biologic therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
First Phase III study demonstrating the potential of MabThera when used earlier in the course of treatment. Roche announced ...
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25. January 2008
MabThera increases the time patients with the most common form of adult leukaemia live without their cancer progressing
Pivotal Phase III study with MabThera reaches primary endpoint in first line treatment for patients with Chronic Lymphocytic ...
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22. January 2008
Roche to Acquire Ventana for $89.50 per share
Roche and Ventana Reach Definitive Merger Agreement
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18. January 2008
Roche invests 430 million Swiss francs at sites in Germany and Switzerland
Roche has approved extensive investment plans for its Penzberg, Mannheim and Kaiseraugst sites. Around 280 million Swiss francs ...
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09. January 2008
Roche engages in four additional AIDS Technology Transfers to strengthen local manufacturing in world's poorest countries
Roche today announced that it has entered into four new technology transfers with local manufacturing companies in Africa ...
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