STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-Sanofi hits 7-year high on drug hopes

Shares in French drugmaker Sanofi rise 2.8 percent to a fresh 7-year high, making them one of the biggest gainers among European blue chips, as traders cite speculation the group could soon get a positive recommendation from European regulators for its multiple sclerosis pill Aubagio.

"The recent rally might be because of the monthly meeting of experts from the European Medicine Agency, which is currently happening in London. Aubagio is supposed to receive a recommendation from these experts in the first quarter," a Paris-based trader says.

"Aubagio's approval in Europe would represent 200 million euros ($257.7 million) in terms of peak sales, but it would certainly increase confidence in the entire multiple sclerosis franchise, with Lemtrada due to be accepted in the second quarter in Europe and in the second half of the year in the United States."

Sanofi adds the most points to the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index , while rival healthcare stocks Novartis and Roche also advance by 1.7 and 1 percent respectively.

Sanofi officials were not immediately available for comment. Reuters Messaging: blaise.robinson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

Reuters Messaging: sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net ($1 = 0.7760 euros)

Keywords: MARKETS EUROPE STOCKSNEWS

View the original article here

Ravens Player Hopes To Use Super Bowl To Promote Equality

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was an outspoken advocate for marriage equality during the campaign in Maryland last year, but his support has not waned since that victorious conclusion. Now that the Ravens are bound for the Super Bowl, he wants to use that visibility to promote equality on a bigger scale:

He tapped out an email to Brian Ellner, a leading marriage-equality advocate with whom he had worked before, and Michael Skolnik, the political director for Russell Simmons, a hip-hop mogul who has become involved in many issues, including same-sex marriage.

Ayanbadejo wrote: “Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti- bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?” The time stamp on the email was 3:40:35 A.M.

Ayanbadejo joked that this was his “Jerry Maguire email,” and told Frank Bruni at the New York Times that he’s really excited about the opportunity to do more:

“It’s one of those times when you’re really passionate and in your zone,” Ayanbadejo told me, referring to Maguire’s movie moment and to his own real-life one, in the wee hours of Monday morning. “And I got to thinking about all kinds of things, and I thought: how can we get our message out there?”

He may have his sights on winning the Super Bowl, but he’s looking past that too:

“That’s my ultimate goal after the Super Bowl,” Ayanbadejo told me. “To go on Ellen’s show, to be dancing with her, to bust a move with her.”

In addition to Ellner and Skolnik, he has reached out to Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally, to explore opportunities to do more to combat bullying and homophobia in athletics.

Ayanbadejo is the model of a straight ally: a football star who just found out he was going to the Super Bowl and reacted by asking what he could do to support the LGBT community. Plenty of individuals will step up when asked, but it’s the ones who take their own initiative who make the biggest difference.

View the original article here