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May 10, 2013

A biotech company and a non-profit organization are looking into new ways to treat patients with the devastating degenerative disorder commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

SAN DIEGO — A biotech company and a nonprofit organization are looking into new ways to treat patients with the devastating degenerative disorder commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The ALS Emergency Treatment Fund and Denovo Biomarkers announced Friday a deal to explore the use of personalized medicine in treating patients with the disease, known medically as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The two said the approach could accelerate drug development in ALS and other life-threatening disorders.

May 10, 2013

Schnucks is renaming all of the 11 Logli and Hilander stores it operates in Rockford, Ill., and Janesville, Wis., the supermarket company said.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Schnucks is renaming all of the 11 Logli and Hilander stores it operates in Rockford, Ill., and Janesville, Wis., the supermarket company said.

May 10, 2013

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the agency said Friday.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the agency said Friday.

The FDA announced the approval of Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate and vilanterol), a once-per-day inhaler made by GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance for long-term treatment of COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

May 10, 2013

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.

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.

May 10, 2013

Kids in child care are not meeting their daily nutritional needs with the snacks they tend to eat, according to a new study.

CINCINNATI — Kids in child care are not meeting their daily nutritional needs with the snacks they tend to eat, according to a new study.

May 10, 2013

The Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board has appointed Terri Smith Moore as the education director, the group said.

TAMPA, Fla. — The Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board has appointed Terri Smith Moore as the education director, the group said Friday.

Moore is the senior manager for product development at healthcare accreditation organization URAC, where she manages the group's accreditation programs and revisions and maintenance of related accreditation documentation.

May 10, 2013

Target is beta testing a new app that allows users to save on items and share deals on Facebook.

NEW YORK — Target is beta testing a new app that allows users to save on items and share deals on Facebook.

A Bullseye View, Target's online magazine, announced the introduction of Cartwheel, where people can find offers on products by browsing the system or looking at friends' activites, and add up to 10 of their favorites to a list. Once a red check appears in the corner of the offer card, the item can be purchased, and customers can either print a special barcode from their desktop computers or use their mobile devices in-store to access it.

May 9, 2013

Cuts to Medicare payments due to the budget sequester have hit reimbursements for cancer drugs, according to a nonprofit group.

WASHINGTON — Cuts to Medicare payments due to the budget sequester have hit reimbursements for cancer drugs, according to a nonprofit group.

May 9, 2013

Costco sales grew 7% in April over April 2012, the club retailer said.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco Wholesale Corp.'s sales grew 7% in April over April 2012, the club retailer said Thursday.

Costco reported sales of $7.98 billion for the four weeks that ended Sunday, compared with $7.48 billion during the same period last year. Sales for the 35-week period that ended Sunday were $69 billion, 9% higher than the $63.59 billion recorded last year.

Sales in the United States at continuously open stores since last April increased by 4%, while same-store sales for the 35 weeks that ended Sunday increased 6%.

May 9, 2013

Costco Wholesale is touting its latest offering to members: its own travel agency.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco Wholesale Corp. is touting its latest offering to members: its own travel agency.

Costco Connection, the club retailer's monthly member magazine, featured on the cover a profile of Costco Travel, which offers travel packages to destinations ranging from Hawaii and Las Vegas to Europe and Tahiti.

May 9, 2013

The Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 371 tons of unused medications last month as part of its sixth annual drug take-back program, the agency said.

WASHINGTON — The Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 371 tons of unused medications last month as part of its sixth annual drug take-back program, the agency said.

May 9, 2013

Sears Holdings has appointed Jeff Balagna as EVP and chief information officer, the Kmart parent company said Thursday.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has appointed Jeff Balagna as EVP and chief information officer, the Kmart parent company said Thursday.

Balagna was previously chief information officer for drug maker Eli Lilly and will be responsible for Sears Holdings' technology and infrastructure initiatives in its support centers and in-store.

May 9, 2013

Declining use overall of healthcare services drove down spending on medicines in the United States by 3.5% per capita last year, according to a new study.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Declining use overall of healthcare services drove down spending on medicines in the United States by 3.5% per capita last year, according to a new study.

May 9, 2013

Meijer will open its 200th store next week, the mass merchandise retailer said.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer will open its 200th store next week, the mass merchandise retailer said Thursday.

Calling the opening of the Swartz Creek, Mich., store a "milestone," the company said it will open on May 16. The store is the first of six new stores the chain plans to open this year in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

May 9, 2013

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from Feb. 13 to 15, 2013. Participants responded via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers, and the survey yielded 644 respondents who were at least 18 years of age and owned either a smartphone, cell phone with Internet access or a tablet.

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from April 16 to 18, 2013. Participants responded via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers, and the survey yielded 698 respondents who were at least 18 years of age.

All data is self-reported and not validated.

Below is the demographic breakdown of the respondents and their behavior:

Gender

 

May 9, 2013

One of the difficulties that federal regulators ran into during the nationwide scandal surrounding the New England Compounding Center — the Massachusetts-based pharmacy blamed for a nationwide fungal meningitis epidemic that has sickened hundreds and killed dozens — was the issue of when such pharmacies cross the line from compounding to manufacturing.

WASHINGTON — One of the difficulties that federal regulators ran into during the nationwide scandal surrounding the New England Compounding Center — the Massachusetts-based pharmacy blamed for a nationwide fungal meningitis epidemic that has sickened hundreds and killed dozens — was the issue of when such pharmacies cross the line from compounding to manufacturing.

May 8, 2013

Midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee is expanding its use of a mapping platform made by geographic information systems firm Esri to aid its real estate decision-making, Esri said Wednesday.

REDLANDS, Calif. — Midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee is expanding its use of a mapping platform made by geographic information systems firm Esri to aid its real estate decision-making, Esri said Wednesday.

Esri said this would allow Hy-Vee to enhance its site selection, using location analytics that combine demographic and psychographic data.

May 8, 2013

Drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb foresees significant effects on its business from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, company executives told attendees of its recent shareholder meeting.

WASHINGTON — Drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb foresees significant effects on its business from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, company executives told attendees of the its recent shareholder meeting.

May 8, 2013

New York state's second-largest city has become the first market in which a majority of Rite Aid's stores have been converted to the Wellness format, the retail pharmacy chain said Wednesday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York state's second-largest city has become the first market in which a majority of Rite Aid's stores have been converted to the Wellness format, the retail pharmacy chain announced Wednesday.

May 8, 2013

A campaign run by Midwestern mass-merchandise chain Meijer to raise money for food banks has netted more than half a million dollars, the company said.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A campaign run by Midwestern mass-merchandise chain Meijer to raise money for food banks has netted more than half a million dollars, the company said.

Meijer said customers donated $184,230 during Simply Give Double Match Days to help food pantries around the Midwest stock shelves, and Meijer double-matched the donations for a total of $552,690.

May 8, 2013

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

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.

May 8, 2013

A pharmacist in Queens has received accolades for giving out vitamins to children whose families can't afford them.

NEW YORK — A pharmacist in Queens has received accolades for giving out vitamins to children whose families can't afford them.

New York television station NY1 earlier this year named Nina Shamayeva, owner of Austin Pharmacy in the Forest Hills neighborhood, as its "Queens Person of the Week" for her free vitamin program, whereby children younger than 12 years old can receive a free bottle of chewable vitamins each month for a year. "A lot of people cannot afford to buy vitamins for their kinds," Shamayeva said.

May 8, 2013

Japanese drug maker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. will buy Fort Collins, Colo.-based vaccine maker Inviragen for up to $250 million, the two companies said Wednesday.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Japanese drug maker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. will buy Fort Collins, Colo.-based vaccine maker Inviragen for up to $250 million, the two companies said Wednesday.

May 7, 2013

Amid rapid growth over the last few years, Amber Pharmacy is more than doubling the size of its headquarters.

OMAHA, Neb. — Amid rapid growth over the last few years, Amber Pharmacy is more than doubling the size of its headquarters.

May 7, 2013

The outline of an exam that will be used to certify pharmacists working in the specialty channel has received approval from the Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board, the group said.

TAMPA, Fla. — The outline of an exam that will be used to certify pharmacists working in the specialty channel has received approval from the Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board, the group said Tuesday.