several years, we have been revising the quality hurdles for candidates entering development, as well as throughout the development process. As the quality of candidates has improved, the development attrition rate has begun to fall. Three new molecular entities and multiple new indication programs for in-line products advanced into Phase 3 development during 2008. We expect 15 to 20 new molecular entities and new indication programs to advance to Phase 3 during the 2008-2009 period.

• While a significant portion of R&D is done internally, we will continue to seek to expand our pipeline by entering into agreements with other companies to develop, license or acquire promising compounds, technologies or capabilities. Collaboration, alliance and license agreements and acquisitions allow us to capitalize on these compounds to expand our pipeline of potential future products.

O Due to our strength in marketing and our global reach, we are able to attract other organizations that may have promising compounds and that can benefit from our strength and skills. We have more than 400 alliances across the entire spectrum of the discovery, development and commercialization process.

O In 2008, we entered into an agreement with Medivation to develop and commercialize Dimebon, Medivation’s investigational drug for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease, and Auxilium, to develop and commercialize Xiaflex, a novel, late-stage biologic, for the treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture and Peyronie’s disease, in addition to other collaboration agreements. (See further discussion in the “Our Strategic Initiatives—Strategy and Recent Transactions: Acquisitions, Licensing and Collaborations” section of this Financial Review.)

O We recognize that our core strength with small molecules must be complemented by large molecules, as they involve some of the most promising R&D technology and cutting-edge science in medical research. We will expand our internal capabilities in biologics through business development where attractive opportunities become available. In January 2009, we announced that we have entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Wyeth, a leader in biotherapeutics and vaccines. In 2008, we acquired Encysive, a biopharmaceutical company, whose main product (Thelin) is for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. For further discussion of these and other acquisitions we have made in biologics, see the “Our Strategic Initiatives—Strategy and Recent Transactions: Acquisitions, Licensing and Collaborations” section of this Financial Review.

O The acquisitions of Coley in 2008 and PowderMed Ltd. (PowderMed) in 2006 are enabling us to explore vaccines across various therapeutic areas using the acquired vaccine technology and delivery device. (See further discussion in the “Our Strategic Initiatives—Strategy and Recent Transactions: Acquisitions, Licensing and Collaborations” section of this Financial Review.)

O Our goal is to have a total of 24 to 28 programs in Phase 3 development by the end of 2009 and to make 15 to 20 regulatory submissions during 2010 through 2012.

Changing Business Environment for Our