Content about New Jersey

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — Mylan Specialty is extending a marketing campaign around its line of emergency treatments for severe allergic reactions.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca will buy Omthera Pharmaceuticals for $323 million, the two companies said Tuesday.

Omthera, based in Princeton, N.J., develops drugs for dyslipidemia, conditions that result in abnormal levels of lipids in the blood. Its lead products include Epanova, an experimental drug for patients with high triglycerides that's based on omega-3 fatty acids; Omthera has finished late-stage clinical trials of the drug and plans to file for Food and Drug Administration approval in mid-2013.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — A federal court has blocked Actavis from distributing its generic version of a drug for treating asthma, the company said.

Actavis said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had issued an injunction against Actavis' distribution of budesonide inhalation suspension at the request of AstraZeneca, which sells the drug under the trade name Pulmicort Respules.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — Unilever, through Advantage Sales and Marketing, a consumer packaged goods sales and marketing agency, has announced that it will invest $70 million incrementally over the next three years to expand its retail coverage, with a significant portion of the incremental investment going toward training military veterans employed by ASM to provide services for the Unilever network.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic heart-disease drug made by Sandoz, the company said Wednesday.

Sandoz, the generics division of Swiss drug maker Novartis, announced the approval of candesartan cilexetil tablets, a generic version of AstraZeneca's Atacand.

The drug is used to treat some types of heart failure in adults with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, as well as high blood pressure in adults and children as young as 1.

Atacand had sales of $120.3 million in 2012, according to IMS Health.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — A subsidiary of drug maker Mylan is sponsoring a campaign to draw attention to severe allergic reactions.

Mylan Specialty announced the Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness campaign, hiring actress Julie Bowen as a celebrity spokeswoman. The campaign will invite people to virtually "raise their hands" for their school districts by visiting www.Anaphylaxis101.com; four winning school districts will receive grants of $15,000 to support educational programs.

ISELIN, N.J. — The makers of LifeStyles condoms today announced the release of the latest innovation to the studded condom category with the debut of the new Fun Bumps condom.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — Nexxus Salon Hair Care, in what it called a “first-of-its-kind” installation at a drug store chain, unveiled a window display tribute to the Tony Awards and Broadway at the Duane Reade store across from Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. The installation was created by Simon Doonan, creative ambassador for Barneys New York, who is best known for his whimsical, and sometimes outrageous, window displays.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration will review an experimental contraceptive patch made by Actavis, the drug maker said Tuesday.

Actavis said the FDA accepted for review its application for norethindrone transdermal delivery system. The patch, which does not yet have a brand name, is designed to provide continuous delivery of norethindrone during a once-weekly, seven-day dosing regimen.

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation into law Monday that will allow patients using prescription eye drops to get early refills in order to prevent interruptions in therapy.

EAST HANOVER, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a biotech drug made by Novartis for treating a form of arthritis that affects children, the Swiss drug maker said Friday.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Drug maker Merck is seeking regulatory approval for an experimental tablet placed under the tongue that could be used to treat ragweed allergies.

Merck said the Food and Drug Administration accepted a regulatory application for its ragweed pollen sublingual allergy immunotherapy tablet. Ragweed, also known as Ambrosia artemisiifolia, is a major cause of seasonal allergies in the United States. Merck also submitted an application for a similar drug, for Timothy grass pollen allergies, in March.