Content about Branded

June 18, 2013

Avella Specialty Pharmacy will be included in the limited distribution network for a cancer drug made by Genentech, Avella said Tuesday.

PHOENIX — Avella Specialty Pharmacy will be included in the limited distribution network for a cancer drug made by Genentech, Avella said Tuesday.

The specially pharmacy company said it would be included in the network to sell Tarceva (erlotinib), an orally administered drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. Genentech will shift distribution of Tarceva to a select group of pharmacies starting July 1 to align its distribution with that of similar cancer drugs.

June 18, 2013

A division of Mylan is hiring NFL player Adrian Peterson and family expert Jo Frost to promote an emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — A division of Mylan is hiring NFL player Adrian Peterson and celebrity nanny Jo Frost to promote an emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions.

Mylan Specialty announced that it had hired the two — who both have potentially life-threatening allergies — to raise awareness of the problem. Mylan Specialty is launching a multichannel marketing campaign for the EpiPen (epinephrine) auto-injector to mark the 25th anniversary of its approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

June 18, 2013

Royalty Pharma will not buy Irish drug maker Elan Corp., the company said Tuesday.

NEW YORK — Royalty Pharma will not buy Irish drug maker Elan Corp., the company said Tuesday.

Royalty said it would withdraw a request for a review by the Irish Takeover Panel after Elan shareholders voted in favor of a share buyback. Elan said last week that it would begin a process of selling itself to Royalty, which had previously offered $13 per share for the company.

June 18, 2013

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries will spend up to $165 million to buy a company developing a drug to prevent viral respiratory infections.

JERUSALEM — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries will spend up to $165 million to buy a company developing a drug to prevent viral respiratory infections.

Teva said it would acquire MicroDose Therapeutx for $40 million, plus up to $125 million in milestone payments and sales milestones and royalties from its lead product, MDT-637, an inhaled treatment for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

June 17, 2013

Drug maker Johnson & Johnson plans to spend up to $1 billion to acquire a privately owned company developing a drug for prostate cancer.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Drug maker Johnson & Johnson plans to spend up to $1 billion to acquire a privately owned company developing a drug for prostate cancer.

J&J said Monday it would acquire Aragon Pharmaceuticals for $650 million upfront plus up to $350 million in milestone payments, with the expectation that the deal will close in third quarter 2013.

June 14, 2013

Irish drug maker Elan Corp. said Friday it was looking to sell itself off to a New York-based company that invests in drug royalties after rejecting a previous offer.

DUBLIN — Irish drug maker Elan Corp. said Friday it was looking to sell itself off to a New York-based company that invests in drug royalties after rejecting a previous offer.

The company said it would start a process to be acquired by Royalty Pharma, but that shareholders should not put their shares up for sale into another, hostile takeover attempt by Royalty, in which Royalty offered more than $7.7 billion, or $13 per share, plus $2.50 in milestone payments. Elan has rejected that offer, made last week.

June 13, 2013

Drug maker Actavis is working with nonprofit pharmaceutical company Medicines360 to make low-cost intrauterine devices available to women, the two said.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Drug maker Actavis is working with nonprofit pharmaceutical company Medicines360 to make low-cost intrauterine devices available to women, the two said.

June 13, 2013

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Amgen for treating a rare and usually noncancerous bone tumor, the agency said Thursday.

SILVER SPRING, Md. – The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Amgen for treating a rare and usually noncancerous bone tumor, the agency said Thursday.

June 12, 2013

Google has removed advertisements for websites that sell drugs without prescriptions, following a series of warning letters from a state attorney general, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — Google has removed advertisements for websites that sell drugs without prescriptions, following a series of warning letters from a state attorney general, according to published reports.

June 12, 2013

More than 200 drugs are under development for cardiovascular disease, according to a drug industry trade group.

WASHINGTON — More than 200 drugs are under development for cardiovascular disease, according to a drug industry trade group.

June 12, 2013

Walgreens on Wednesday reached an agreement settling DEA concerns relating to the distribution and dispensing of controlled substances.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday reached an agreement settling DEA concerns relating to the distribution and dispensing of controlled substances. The company released the following statement from Kermit Crawford, president of pharmacy, health and wellness:

June 11, 2013

Aceto Corp. will sell an authorized generic version of a drug used to treat a rare but devastating degenerative disorder.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Aceto Corp. will sell an authorized generic version of a drug used to treat a rare but devastating degenerative disorder.

Aceto said it would launch the authorized generic version of Covis Pharma's Rilutek (riluzole) tablets in the 50-mg strength through its Rising Pharmaceuticals subsidiary. The drug is used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Sales of the drug were about $64 million in 2012, according to Aceto.

 

June 11, 2013

Misperceptions and stereotypes about opioid dependence that may affect how it's treated have persisted among the general public and physicians despite increased attention devoted to the issue, according to a new survey.

RICHMOND, Va. — Misperceptions and stereotypes about opioid dependence that may affect how it's treated have persisted among the general public and physicians, despite increased attention devoted to the issue, according to a new survey.

June 11, 2013

The Annals of Internal Medicine published a study comparing generic utilization of common diabetes medications across two government programs — Medicare Part D and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

PHILADELPHIA — The Annals of Internal Medicine on Tuesday published a study comparing generic utilization of common diabetes medications across two government programs — Medicare Part D and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Medicare's use of brand-name medicines was two to three times greater than the VA.

According to the study, the disparity comes out of Medicare's reliance on private plans with distinct formularies, whereas the VA administers its own benefit using a national formulary.

June 10, 2013

Drug maker Amag Pharmaceuticals has licensed the U.S. commercial rights to a treatment for a common side effect of cancer treatments from another company, Amag said Monday.

LEXINGTON, Mass. — Drug maker Amag Pharmaceuticals has licensed the U.S. commercial rights to a treatment for a common side effect of cancer treatments from another company, Amag said Monday.

Amag said it licensed the rights for MuGard, used to treat oral mucositis, a condition that affects about 400,000 cancer patients each year. The drug is an oral mucoadhesive that works by creating a gel coating over the oral mucosa to shield the membranes of the mouth and tongue.

June 10, 2013

Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca will pay up to $1.15 billion for a U.S. developer of drugs for respiratory diseases, AstraZeneca said Monday.

LONDON — Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca will pay up to $1.15 billion for a U.S. developer of drugs for respiratory diseases, AstraZeneca said Monday.

The company announced that it would buy Redwood City, Calif.-based Pearl Therapeutics, which has an inhaled drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, called PT003 (formoterol fumarate; glycopyrrolate), in late-stage clinical development.

June 7, 2013

A joint Food and Drug Administration expert panel voted to recommend keeping a controversial GlaxoSmithKline diabetes drug available for certain patients, GSK said.

PHILADELPHIA — A joint Food and Drug Administration expert panel voted to recommend keeping a controversial GlaxoSmithKline diabetes drug available for certain patients, GSK said.

June 6, 2013

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Celgene for treating a type of cancer.

SUMMIT, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Celgene Corp. for treating a type of cancer.

Celgene announced Thursday the approval of Revlimid (lenalidomide) for treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma, also known as MCL, whose disease has relapsed or progressed after two prior therapies that have included bortezomib.

June 6, 2013

MySugr Companion, one of Europe's leading and award-winning diabetes apps for iPhone, is now available for download in the U.S. App Store, the app developer announced.

SAN FRANCISCO — MySugr Companion, one of Europe's leading and award-winning diabetes apps for iPhone, is now available for download in the U.S. App Store, the app developer announced Thursday.

Consumer technology has shown a new trend of monitoring fitness and well-being data in products like the Nike+ and Fitbit. "But Type 1 diabetics are the true champions of the quantified self-movement," commented mySugr advisory board member Tim Ferriss. 

June 6, 2013

Supermarket operator Ahold USA has completed rolling out prescription-savings cards at the chains it operates with the introduction of the cards in Giant Food Stores.

CARLISLE, Pa. – Supermarket operator Ahold USA has completed rolling out prescription-savings cards at the chains it operates with the introduction of the cards in Giant Food Stores.

June 6, 2013

A healthcare products distribution trade group has given drug maker Upsher-Smith Labs one of its top awards, Upsher-Smith said.

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. — A healthcare products distribution trade group has given drug maker Upsher-Smith Labs one of its top awards, Upsher-Smith said.

The drug maker announced it was a recipient of the Healthcare Distribution Management Association's Distribution Industry Award for Notable Achievements in Healthcare, or DIANA, in the category of "Best Overall Branded Pharmaceutical Product Manufacturer with Sales to Healthcare Distributers of Less than $300 Million."

June 5, 2013

Most Americans have little understanding of the importance of managing fats known as triglycerides to maintain cardiovascular health, according to a new survey.

MADISON, N.J. — Most Americans have little understanding of the importance of managing fats known as triglycerides to maintain cardiovascular health, according to a new survey.

To conduct the survey, researchers from Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind polled 600 adults aged 40 and older, finding that 54% of respondents didn't know if it was better to have high or low levels of triglycerides, and 45% of those diagnosed as having high cholesterol didn't know.

June 4, 2013

AmeriCares on Monday presented its annual Power of Partnership Award to Merck in recognition of the company’s commitment to helping disaster survivors and improving health in the developing world.

STAMFORD, Conn. — AmeriCares on Monday presented its annual Power of Partnership Award to Merck in recognition of the company’s commitment to helping disaster survivors and improving health in the developing world. Merck is one of AmeriCares most committed donors, providing both products and financial support for the global health and disaster relief organization’s aid programs, the organization stated. 

June 4, 2013

The Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, HDMA’s nonprofit research foundation, and Genentech on Tuesday honored Robert Belknap, executive director of trade sales and operations for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, with the 2013 Nexus Award for Lifetime Achievement.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, HDMA’s nonprofit research foundation, and Genentech on Tuesday honored Robert Belknap, executive director of trade sales and operations for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, with the 2013 Nexus Award for Lifetime Achievement.

June 4, 2013

At the 2013 Business and Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., HDMA honored pharmaceutical and consumer product manufacturers during the presentation of the 2013 Distribution Industry Awards for Notable Achievements in Healthcare.

ARLINGTON, Va. — At the 2013 Business and Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday, HDMA honored pharmaceutical and consumer product manufacturers during the presentation of the 2013 Distribution Industry Awards for Notable Achievements in Healthcare.