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Britain's top share index shed 1 percent by midday on Thursday, suffering a broad-based sell-off after disappointing earnings news from the U.S., with energy stocks the biggest laggards as crude fell.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.1 to 0.5 percent, pointing to a weaker start on Wall Street on Thursday.

Roche beat forecasts with a 10 percent rise in third-quarter sales, helped by demand for Tamiflu due to the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, and the Swiss group now sees higher drug revenues for the full year.

Vaccinating boys against the virus that causes cervical cancer and genital warts does not appear to be cost-effective, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

A dearth of new products, new technologies and fresh commitments by governments scrambling to protect their populations from pandemic threats have lured U.S. drugmakers back into the flu vaccine business.

The world's two largest diversified healthcare companies struck deals on Monday that will propel them into vaccines, a red-hot area for investors because of the pandemic flu threat and potential high profits for preventing other diseases.

An experimental AIDS vaccine made from two failed products has protected people for the first time, reducing the rate of infection by about 30 percent, researchers said on Thursday.

Gardasil will continue to dominate the U.S. cervical cancer vaccine market despite the expected launch of a competitor from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co's chief executive said on Thursday.

U.S. drugs group Merck & Co has teamed up with Britain's Wellcome Trust medical charity in a not-for-profit joint venture to develop affordable vaccines for poor countries.

A Manhattan federal judge has rejected Merck & Co's effort to dismiss 24 cases alleging that its Fosamax drug treatment for osteoporosis causes jaw damage.

Merck & Co Inc announced plans on Monday for a reorganization once its acquisition of Schering-Plough Corp closes later this year, including naming leaders for five main divisions.

NEW YORK - Merck & Co Inc announced plans on Monday for a reorganization once its acquisition of Schering-Plough Corp closes later this year, including naming leaders for five main divisions.

A sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer is also to blame for half of all cases of cancer of the penis, Spanish researchers said on Tuesday.

Merck & Co shareholders overwhelmingly approved the drugmaker's planned merger with Schering-Plough Corp, and the deal remains on track to close in the fourth quarter, Merck said on Friday.

Merck & Co and Schering-Plough Corp will pay $41.5 million to settle class-action lawsuits over their shared cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Zetia, the companies said on Wednesday.

Merck & Co's vaccines chief, Margie McGlynn, who oversaw the launch of its Gardasil cervical cancer vaccine among other products, will step down on November 1, a company spokeswoman said on Monday.

French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis has agreed to buy the stake it does not already own in the Merial animal healthcare business from its U.S. partner Merck & Co, Bloomberg News said on Wednesday.

Drugmaker Merck & Co Inc announced a proposed settlement on Friday to resolve litigation challenging its planned merger with Schering-Plough Corp.

Three of the world's biggest drugmakers posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings on Wednesday and gave bullish forecasts for the rest of the year, demonstrating the industry's resilience in the weak economy.

Three of the world's biggest drugmakers posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings on Wednesday and gave bullish forecasts for the rest of the year, demonstrating the industry's resilience in the weak economy.

World stocks clung close to nine-month highs on Wednesday with some profit taking in Europe keeping a lid on further gains and cautious words from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke dampening sentiment.

Stocks rose on Tuesday as a solid profit from Caterpillar Inc eclipsed unease about the company's outlook for the current quarter, but the gains were limited as some investors paused following the recent earnings-fueled run-up.

The Dow rose on Tuesday as a solid profit from Caterpillar Inc eclipsed unease about the company's outlook for the current quarter, while both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 clung to tiny gains after a round of profit-taking.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday, a day after the S&P 500 hit its highest closing level in eight months, after Caterpillar Inc posted stronger-than-expected quarterly results.

U.S. drugmaker Schering-Plough Corp said on Tuesday its second-quarter earnings rose after lower special charges, but global revenue declined as the weak dollar hurt sales in overseas markets.

Merck & Co said second-quarter earnings fell, hurt by lower sales of its cholesterol drugs, but income from partnerships and a rebound in sales of asthma drug Singulair helped the drugmaker beat profit forecasts.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday, a day after the S&P 500 hit its highest closing level in eight months, after Caterpillar Inc posted stronger-than-expected quarterly results.

Merck & Co Inc shares fell 3.8 percent on Thursday amid speculation its Zetia cholesterol medicine fared poorly in a clinical trial comparing it with Abbott Laboratories' Niaspan in preventing plaque build-up in arteries.

The Dow industrials rose and the S&P 500 rebounded in late trading on Monday as investors' concerns about the strength of an economic recovery triggered a move into defensive stocks.