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TITUSVILLE, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Johnson & Johnson for treating schizophrenia in adolescents.

J&J said Monday that the FDA had approved Invega (paliperidone) extended-release tablets for patients ages 12 to 17 years. The drug is marketed by J&J subsidiary Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The drug originally was approved in 2006 for treating schizophrenia in adults.

PARIS — Genzyme now officially is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis.

The Paris-based drug maker said that the closing followed the completion of the exchange offer for drug maker Genzyme last week. As its subsidiary, Genzyme will become a new platform in Sanofi's sustainable growth strategy and expand the company's presence in biotechnology, Sanofi said. Genzyme will continue to operate out of its Cambridge, Mass., headquarters, and will be led by Sanofi CEO Christopher Viehbacher for several months.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and BERLIN — Regeneron and Bayer HealthCare have initiated 1-of-2 late-stage clinical trials of their aflibercept ophthalmic solution in the treatment of a complication caused by diabetic retinopathy.

The drug makers said that it would evaluate the efficacy of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept ophthalmic solution) in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, a prevalent cause of vision loss among diabetes patients, after promising results from its previous clinical trial.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by AstraZeneca for treating a rare form of thyroid cancer, the agency said.

The FDA announced the approval of the daily pill vandetanib for late-stage medullary thyroid cancer in patients whose disease is growing and causing symptoms but who are ineligible for surgery.

Medullary thyroid cancer involves specific cells found in the thyroid gland and can occur spontaneously or be part of a genetic disease. There currently are no FDA-approved treatments for this cancer.

SAN DIEGO — Pfizer is partnering with San Diego biotech company Zacharon Pharmaceuticals to develop treatments for rare genetic disorders Zacharon said Thursday.

Under the collaboration, which could garner Zacharon up to $210 million, the companies will discover and develop pharmaceutical drugs for treating lysosomal storage disorders, a class of illnesses that includes Fabry disease, Gaucher disease, Pompe disease and Tay-Sachs disease.

DUBLIN — British drug maker Shire has filed suit against Watson Pharmaceuticals and subsidiaries, alleging patent infringement in a case concerning a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Shire announced Wednesday that it had filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Watson and several subsidiaries over their attempt to market a generic version of Adderall XR (amphetamine, dextroamphetamine mixed salts) and breach of contract.

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals' single-pill antiretroviral for HIV-1 patients, BI said Tuesday.

The FDA approved Viramune XR (nevirapine), a single-pill, once-daily, extended-release formulation of nevirapine for use in combination with other antiretroviral drugs.

INDIANAPOLIS — A topical medication for treating low testosterone in men now is available, drug maker Eli Lilly said.

Lilly announced the availability of Axiron (testosterone), a topical solution designed for application under the arm.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Axiron in November, making it the only testosterone replacement therapy applied to the underarm.

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — A drug used to treat pain in cancer patients now is available in the United States.

ProStrakan Group announced Monday the launch of Abstral (fentanyl) sublingual tablets. The tablets, which disintegrate rapidly and are placed under the tongue, treat breakthrough pain, common in one-half to two-thirds of people with cancer-related pain.

The drug, an opioid and controlled substance, only is available through a Food and Drug Administration-mandated REMS program. The FDA approved the drug in January.

PARIS — Sanofi-Aventis said it completed its exchange offer for drug maker Genzyme, which expired just before midnight April 1.

All 224,528,469 shares of Genzyme common stock were validly tendered, which is represented by 84.6% of common stock and 77% of shares on a diluted basis.

Last month, the board of directors of Genzyme unanimously recommended that shareholders accept French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis’ $74-per-share buyout offer.

CLEVELAND — A drug used to treat diabetes also may prevent it, according to a new study published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University took specially bred obese, prediabetic rats and gave them either Merck’s Januvia (sitagliptin), placebo or glyburide, an older diabetes drug. Both of the diabetes drugs lowered blood-glucose levels after the rats had eaten, but only Junuvia raised the total output of insulin by the pancreas while lowering levels of glucagon.

HYDERABAD, India — Dr. Reddy’s Labs will assume ownership of a penicillin manufacturing site in Bristol, Tenn., from GlaxoSmithKline.

The generic drug maker said it completed the acquisition of the facility and related product portfolio, including Augmentin and Amoxil brands. GSK will retain the existing rights for the aforementioned brands outside the United States.

Further financial terms and conditions of the transaction are not being disclosed.