Content about Neurochemistry

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a second product in BD's new line of injectable drugs, the company said Tuesday.

BD Rx, the pharmaceutical arm of the medical technology manufacturer, whose name stands for Becton, Dickinson and Co., received FDA approval for metoclopramide, part of its BD Simplist line of ready-to-administer pre-filled generic injectables. The product is an antiemetic, a drug used to stop vomiting.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s Stop Medicine Abuse campaign was selected as an official honoree in the 17th Annual Webby Awards in the Family/Parenting category, the over-the-counter association announced Thursday. 

ROSEMONT, Pa. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for treating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Drug maker Duchesnay USA said the FDA approved Diclegis (doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride) delayed-release tablets in the 10 mg/10 mg strength for NVP, more commonly known as morning sickness, in women who don't respond to conservative treatment. NVP is estimated to affect 70-85% of pregnant women, and symptoms range from nausea to severe vomiting and retching that can last throughout the day.

WASHINGTON — Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ark., on Friday introduced the Preventing Abuse of Cough Treatments Act of 2013, which would require retailers to restrict the sale of dextromethorphan-containing products to adults. The bill also would restrict the sale of raw, bulk DXM to FDA-approved entities. 

Many retailers have age restrictions on the sale of DXM products already in place; and similar legislation to this has been enforced in California since 2012. 

The OTC industry is well-positioned to seize opportunities across the self-care space, executives at the recent Consumer Healthcare Products Association Annual Executive Conference shared with attendees. Those opportunities will be driven by greater consumer engagement and the growing realization around how much healthcare value can be drawn from expanding OTC access. 

SILVER SPRING, Md. — One of the most serious drug abuse problems in the country doesn't involve heroin, methamphetamine or crack, but abuse of legal prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers, a problem that the Food and Drug Administration aims to change with draft guidance released Wednesday.

BETHESDA, Md. — The National Institute on Drug Abuse last week released the 2012 Monitoring the Future survey, finding that 5.6% of high school seniors abused over-the-counter cough and cold medicines containing dextromethorphan, a rate that has held relatively steady over the past five years. Abuse of DXM products was reported to be 3% among eighth graders and 4.7% among tenth graders, bringing the overall average to under 5%.

PALATINE, Ill. — Acura Pharmaceuticals in December will launch an immediate-release pseudoephedrine tablet under the brand name Nexafed that will help impede conversion of the tablets into methamphetamine. Couched as the "next generation pseudoephedrine product," Nexafed is a 30-mg PSE hydrochloride tablet that utilizes Acura's trademarked Impede technology. 

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration has reviewed new data that indicated that budeprion XL (bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets) in the 300-mg strength, manufactured by Impax Labs and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, is not therapeutically equivalent to Wellbutrin XL in the 300-mg strength.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic antidepressant made by Wockhardt, the Indian drug maker said Tuesday.

Wockhardt announced the FDA approval of its bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets in the 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg strengths.

The drug is a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Wellbutrin SR, various versions of which have a market of about $268 million, according to IMS Health.

DENVER — UrgentRx will be adding an allergy relief product to its portfolio of on-the-go OTC solutions in October, the company recently announced.

The new product, called Allergy Attack Relief to Go and formulated with 25 mg of diphenhydramine, will be available as a raspberry-flavored powder that will retail for a suggested $1.39.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan has launched generic versions of two drugs to treat bipolar disorder and allergies, the company said Tuesday.

Mylan announced the launch of lithium carbonate extended-release tablets in the 300-mg strength. The drug is a generic version of Noven Therapeutics' Lithobid, various versions of which had sales of about $21 million during the 12-month period ended in March, according to IMS Health.