Content about Geography of Michigan

June 17, 2013

Perrigo Co. will pay up to $129 million to buy Fera Pharmaceuticals' portfolio of ophthalmic products, Perrigo said.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo Co. will pay up to $129 million to buy Fera Pharmaceuticals' portfolio of ophthalmic products, Perrigo said Monday.

Perrigo said the acquisition from Locust Valley, N.Y.-based Fera included an upfront payment of $93 million and milestone payments of about $36 million. The products include generic ophthalmic sterile ointments and solutions and generated sales of more than $30 million in 2012.

June 12, 2013

Meijer will open two new stores in northern Indiana, the mass merchandise retailer said.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer will open two new stores in northern Indiana, the mass merchandise retailer said Wednesday.

Meijer said the stores, in Portage and Warsaw, Ind., would open on Thursday. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based chain currently operates 32 stores around the state and more than 200 throughout the Midwest. The company said the stores would feature the chain's free prescription program, whereby it gives select drugs for free to customers with valid prescriptions, including generic versions of the cholesterol drug Lipitor (atorvastatin).

May 14, 2013

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is among the sponsors of a fundraising effort to expand an adult-fitness program run by a Flint, Mich.-based nonprofit.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is among the sponsors of a fundraising effort to expand an adult-fitness program run by a Flint, Mich.-based nonprofit.

May 3, 2013

Walgreens recently negotiated a 20-year lease agreement here for Walgreens' first university flagship location, said Joey Agree, Agree Realty president and CEO, in a conference call with analysts on Tuesday.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Walgreens recently negotiated a 20-year lease agreement here for Walgreens' first university flagship location, said Joey Agree, Agree Realty president and CEO, in a conference call with analysts on Tuesday. The site will serve the University of Michigan, home to the Michigan Wolverines.

Walgreens has not yet confirmed the new site will be a prototypical flagship location, however. 

April 19, 2013

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is among several Flint, Mich.-area companies that have signed on to a council to support a local business that makes scrubs and is interested in expanding beyond traditional markets.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is among several Flint, Mich.-area companies that have signed on to a council to support a local business that makes scrubs and is interested in expanding beyond traditional markets.

April 1, 2013

Perrigo Co. has completed its acquisition of a Pennsylvania-based animal health company, the drug maker said.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo Co. has completed its acquisition of a Pennsylvania-based animal health company, the drug maker said Monday.

Perrigo announced that it has closed its purchase of Yardley, Pa.-based Velcera for about $160 million. The company makes OTC products for pets, specializing in products traditionally dispensed only by veterinarians. Its products include PetArmor, a flea and tick repellent that had sales of more than $100 million last year.

March 19, 2013

Mass merchandise chain Meijer is expanding an initiative started last year to feature products made in the state of Michigan.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Mass merchandise chain Meijer is expanding an initiative started last year to feature products made in the state of Michigan.

The company announced Tuesday a plan to feature 55 new Michigan-made grocery products in all its stores in the state. The company started the Made in Michigan initiative in January 2012 with the Michigan State University Product Center for Food-Ag-Bio.

March 7, 2013

A weight-loss competition sponsored by mass merchandise retailer Meijer and nutritional scoring company NuVal is enlisting 60,000 team members who will compete for $15,000 in prize money over three months.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A weight-loss competition sponsored by mass merchandise retailer Meijer and nutritional scoring company NuVal is enlisting 60,000 team members who will compete for $15,000 in prize money over three months.

February 13, 2013

Meijer plans to invest more than $160 million to build six new stores and remodel five in 2013, the mass merchandise retailer said.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Meijer plans to invest more than $160 million to build six new stores and remodel five in 2013, the mass merchandise retailer announced Wednesday.

The company said the new stores will be in Swartz Creek, Mich.; Detroit; Portage, Ind.; Warsaw, Ind.; Danville, Ill.; and Evergreen Park, Ill. The remodel projects include stores in Lansing, Taylor, Flint and Grand Rapids, Mich., and Springfield, Ill. The company currently operates 199 supercenters and grocery stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

February 5, 2013

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a testosterone gel product made by Perrigo, the drug maker said.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a testosterone gel product made by Perrigo, the drug maker said Tuesday.

Perrigo announced the approval of the testosterone gel in the 1% strength for the treatment of men with low or no testosterone.

The drug is bioequivalent to AbbVie's AndroGel, which has annual sales of about $705 million, according to Symphony Health.

February 4, 2013

Drug maker Perrigo has launched a generic drug for treating problems of the scalp, the company said.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Drug maker Perrigo has launched a generic drug for treating problems of the scalp, the company said.

Perrigo announced the launch of clobetasol emulsion propionate foam in the 0.05% strength, a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Olux-E. The drug is used to treat moderate to severe dermatosis of the scalp.

January 25, 2013

Perrigo Nutritionals is introducing new packaging that the company said would make providing nutrition to infants more convenient.

GEORGIA, Vt. — Perrigo Nutritionals is introducing new packaging that the company said would make providing nutrition to infants more convenient.

December 27, 2012

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy announced that CEO and co-founder Phil Hagerman has been named one of 13 "Michiganders to Watch" by MLive Media Group, a collaborative network of local and statewide Michigan news outlets.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy on Thursday announced that CEO and co-founder Phil Hagerman has been named one of 13 "Michiganders to Watch" by MLive Media Group, a collaborative network of local and statewide Michigan news outlets. The MLive profile on Hagerman can be viewed here

December 7, 2012

Inc. magazine has named Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy as one of the country's top 100 job creators, the privately owned company said.

FLINT, Mich. — Inc. magazine has named Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy as one of the country's top 100 job creators, the privately owned company said.

November 28, 2012

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug from Perrigo and Cobrek Pharmaceuticals for treating scalp conditions.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug from Perrigo and Cobrek Pharmaceuticals for treating scalp conditions.

Perrigo said that Cobrek, with which it is partnering, had received approval for betamethasone validate foam in the 0.12% strength. The drug is a generic version of Luxiq foam, made by GlaxoSmithKline subsidiary Stiefel Labs, and is used to treat corticosteroid-responsive skin conditions of the scalp, also known as scalp psoriasis.

The branded version of the drug has annual sales of about $40 million, according to Perrigo.

November 8, 2012

A rapidly growing specialty pharmacy company in Michigan is about to experience another spurt.

FLINT, Mich. — A rapidly growing specialty pharmacy company in Michigan is about to experience another spurt.

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy said it had an immediate need to fill 100 full-time jobs, primarily in patient care coordination, order entry and customer service, but including 10 to 15 positions in areas like nursing, five in sales and account management, and 10 to 15 in technology areas like programming, quality analysis, data modeling and data architecture.

November 2, 2012

Ranir, a maker of consumer oral and personal healthcare products, is unveiling its rebranding at the PLMA’s 2012 Private Label Trade Show in Chicago Nov. 10 to 13.



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Ranir, a maker of consumer oral and personal healthcare products, is unveiling its rebranding at the PLMA’s 2012 Private Label Trade Show in Chicago Nov. 10 to 13.



September 4, 2012

In what could symbolize the so-called "patent cliff" that an executive from healthcare market research firm IMS Health spoke of at a recent trade show, a regional mass merchandise chain is taking what used to be the world's top-selling drug and giving it away for free.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In what could symbolize the so-called "patent cliff" that an executive from healthcare market research firm IMS Health spoke of at a recent trade show, a regional mass merchandise chain is taking what used to be the world's top-selling drug and giving it away for free.

June 15, 2012

It has been 50 years since Hendrik and Fred Meijer opened "Thrifty Acres" in Grand Rapids, Mich., marking the birth of the nation's pioneering supercenter and an innovative concept that grew into a retail phenomenon.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It has been 50 years since Hendrik and Fred Meijer opened "Thrifty Acres" in Grand Rapids, Mich., marking the birth of the nation's pioneering supercenter and an innovative concept that grew into a retail phenomenon.

"They didn't realize it at the time, but our father and grandfather were making history when they opened 'Thrifty Acres' in June 1962," stated Hank Meijer, co-chairman. "The store offered groceries and general merchandise and enabled customers to enjoy 'one-stop shopping.'"

March 2, 2012

Perrigo announced that it has initiated market launch and made its first shipments of minoxidil 5% foam, which is a generic version of Rogaine 5% foam hair regrowth treatment, to its retail and wholesale customers. Minoxidil 5% foam is marketed under store- or own-label brands.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo announced that it has initiated market launch and made its first shipments of minoxidil 5% foam, which is a generic version of Rogaine 5% foam hair regrowth treatment, to its retail and wholesale customers. Minoxidil 5% foam is marketed under store- or own-label brands.

February 14, 2012

Perrigo on Tuesday announced that it has begun shipping Loratadine-D 12-hour extended-release tablets.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo on Tuesday announced that it has begun shipping Loratadine-D 12-hour extended-release tablets.

January 24, 2012

Meijer's stores in Michigan will "prominently" feature 49 products made in the state as part of a program to promote local businesses, the mass merchandise retailer said.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer's stores in Michigan will "prominently" feature 49 products made in the state as part of a program to promote local businesses, the mass merchandise retailer said.

The chain is partnering with the Michigan State University Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources to launch the "Made in Michigan" initiative, whereby 33 stores will feature 49 such grocery items as marinara sauce, blueberry butter, gluten-free baking mixes and gourmet seasonings in specially designated areas of the store starting on Sunday.

January 4, 2012

Perrigo last week announced that it has received final Food and Drug Administration approval for its generic prescription allergy remedy desloratadine 5 mg, the generic equivalent to Schering-Plough's Clarinex.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo last week announced that it has received final Food and Drug Administration approval for its generic prescription allergy remedy desloratadine 5 mg, the generic equivalent to Schering-Plough's Clarinex.

Under the terms of a patent-infringement suit settlement, Perrigo can commercially launch its generic desloratadine product July 1. The new product launch may be a prescription or over-the-counter product, depending on its status at the time of launch, Perrigo stated.

November 28, 2011

Perrigo on Monday announced that it received final approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its store-brand version of Mucinex tablets.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo on Monday announced that it received final approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its store-brand version of Mucinex tablets.

Perrigo is still in litigation with Reckitt Benckiser involving the introduction of a private-label Mucinex. "Perrigo is working through the litigation and expects to begin shipping this product in our retail and wholesale customers' store brand packaging in the second half of our fiscal year," Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa said.

November 21, 2011

Perrigo on Monday named Christopher Roop to the post of VP corporate development.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo on Monday named Christopher Roop to the post of VP corporate development. In this role, Roop will be responsible for identifying, evaluating and pursuing acquisition targets that complement the company’s strategic growth objectives.