One of the big themes at BIO 2012 is the avowed commitment that developers are making to the open R&D movement, an effort to find ways to cooperate on a precompetitive basis. On Wednesday morning Abbott Laboratories, Biogen Idec, EMD Serono, Janssen Research & Development, Merck, Pfizer and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals were expected to announce the creation of a new neuroscience consortium aimed at improving cooperation on research related to tough diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis. Each of the companies is pledging $250,000 to the initiative, according to a report in the Boston Globe. They'll be soliciting project ideas from academic researchers working in the field. Of course, it's easier to pledge cooperation than it is to overcome years of rivalry, but small steps like this could make a significant difference in the years to come. Story