“One of our most attractive long-term opportunities is in molecular diagnostics. We are pursuing this in part through alliances that link us with the best in this emerging field. In addition to our alliances, this year we created an internal venture to integrate our activities.

“An important alliance with The Institute of Genomic Research (TIGR) targets infectious diseases. This agreement provides us with gene sequencing data, which we can use to improve clinical tests that identify disease and assess susceptibility or resistance to antibiotics.

“Our agreement with Millennium Predictive Medicine (MPMx), a subsidiary of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., creates an alliance of considerable strategic and competitive significance. The goal of this five-year genomic-based research collaboration is to develop tests to provide individualized diagnostic and prognostic information, assist in the selection of treatments, and improve prediction of outcomes for patients with melanoma, prostate, colon, breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancers.

“Our alliance with MPMx is being managed by a cross-business, multi-disciplinary group drawing on a wide range of our core competencies.”