Clovis takes over work on Clavis's pancreatic cancer drug and will develop a companion test to target patients who fare poorly on Lilly's current standard of care.

The discovery of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the early '90s opened up a new world of potential drug targets in CNS diseases and beyond. But targeting specific mGluRs proved difficult; eventually the challenge of designing selective molecules led to breakthroughs modulating receptors at sites distinct from the endogenous binding site. This so-called allosteric modulation may help to clear a logjam of undruggable GPCRs and other receptors. Creating drug-like molecules remains a challenge but industry, after some false starts, is poised to make advances as compounds begin to hit proof-of-concept in man.

In a move that could position Pfizer for more drastic measures down the road, the pharma giant has reorganized its development and commercial operations into several business units designed to foster autonomy and financial responsibility in the areas of specialty medicine, primary care, and emerging markets. These units join Pfizer's oncology and mature products businesses.