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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and BERLIN — Regeneron and Bayer HealthCare have initiated 1-of-2 late-stage clinical trials of their aflibercept ophthalmic solution in the treatment of a complication caused by diabetic retinopathy.

The drug makers said that it would evaluate the efficacy of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept ophthalmic solution) in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, a prevalent cause of vision loss among diabetes patients, after promising results from its previous clinical trial.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk has received the Corporate Leadership Award from the National Hemophilia Foundation in response to its research and development efforts for the disease, the company said Friday.

Novo Nordisk president Jurek Gruhn accepted the award at the NHF’s Inaugural Spring Soiree Benefit in New York Thursday. Novo Nordisk makes NovoSeven RT (coagulation factor VIIa [recombinant], room temperature stable), used to treat hemophilia A and B.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by GlaxoSmithKline and Xenoport for treating restless legs syndrome, the agency said Thursday.

The FDA approved Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil) as a once-daily treatment for moderate-to-severe RLS.

“People with restless legs syndrome can experience considerable distress from their symptoms,” FDA Division of Neurology Products director Russell Katz said. “Horizant provides significant help in treating these symptoms.”

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by AstraZeneca for treating a rare form of thyroid cancer, the agency said.

The FDA announced the approval of the daily pill vandetanib for late-stage medullary thyroid cancer in patients whose disease is growing and causing symptoms but who are ineligible for surgery.

Medullary thyroid cancer involves specific cells found in the thyroid gland and can occur spontaneously or be part of a genetic disease. There currently are no FDA-approved treatments for this cancer.

SAN DIEGO — Pfizer is partnering with San Diego biotech company Zacharon Pharmaceuticals to develop treatments for rare genetic disorders Zacharon said Thursday.

Under the collaboration, which could garner Zacharon up to $210 million, the companies will discover and develop pharmaceutical drugs for treating lysosomal storage disorders, a class of illnesses that includes Fabry disease, Gaucher disease, Pompe disease and Tay-Sachs disease.

DUBLIN — British drug maker Shire has filed suit against Watson Pharmaceuticals and subsidiaries, alleging patent infringement in a case concerning a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Shire announced Wednesday that it had filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Watson and several subsidiaries over their attempt to market a generic version of Adderall XR (amphetamine, dextroamphetamine mixed salts) and breach of contract.

WORCESTER, Mass. — Generex Biotechnology has revamped its corporate website to underscore the company's focus on the development and approval of its diabetes and immunotherapeutic vaccine products pipeline.

The company said that the site will provide improved descriptions of products, technologies, scientific research in progress, trial results and new corporate relationships as they unfold. Generex also will boost its social media presence through Twitter and Facebook.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Drug maker Merck is looking to boost its eye care portfolio by acquiring a company focused on developing and commercializing ophthalmic products. The deal carries a cash value of about $430 million.