Content about PITTSBURGH

PITTSBURGH — The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday denied a preliminary injunction filed by pharmacy trade groups in an effort to block the merger between pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco.

As the industry geared up for this year’s National Association of Chain Drug Stores Annual Meeting, Drug Store News talked with NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson about the hottest issues facing pharmacy and his thoughts on the 2012 presidential election.

Drug Store News: What do you think will be the hot-button issues that will be top of mind at this year’s Annual Meeting?

PITTSBURGH — The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday accepted an amici curiae from the Consumer Federation of America, the National Consumers League, the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices and U.S. PIRG (a federation of 28 nonprofit, nonpartisan state Public Interest Research Groups) on behalf of retail pharmacy plaintiffs in their suit to dismantle the Express Scripts-Medco merger.

PITTSBURGH — GNC on Wednesday announced its partnership with actor/producer Mark Wahlberg on the launch of Marked, a new nutritional supplement line designed to meet the demanding lifestyles of fitness consumers.
 
"I'm excited to join forces with GNC, a brand I trust for quality and integrity, to develop the Marked products," Wahlberg said. "I attribute much of my own success to my dedication to living healthy and fit, so it is important for me to create products that will help motivate others to pursue their own personal wellness goals."

NEW YORK — A federal judge in Pittsburgh will rule "later" on whether to block or allow a merger between pharmacy benefit managers Medco Health Solutions and Express Scripts, and is considering a request by two trade groups seeking to keep Medco's operations and assets separate from ESI while the lawsuit is pending, according to published reports.

PITTSBURGH — GNC has introduced a new, free mobile application for Android and iPhone devices.

Designed to extend the store experience, GNC said its app, which first debuted last March for iPhone devices, includes such new features as:

• Updated design: The main menu now is organized with nine user-friendly buttons so users can quickly and easily access the information they want to find;

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — When Express Scripts filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission that its merger with Medco could close as early as the week of April 2, that seemed to set off a firestorm of activity. Reports were published suggesting the Federal Trade Commission decision was imminent, and what's more that the agency would decide in favor of the merger. Speculative day traders Wednesday morning pushed the opening stock prices across both Express Scripts and Medco higher by 3.9% and 5%, respectively.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan has launched a generic drug for treating depression and anxiety, the company said Wednesday.

Mylan announced the launch of escitalopram tablets in the 5-mg, 10-mg and 20-mg strengths, the first generic version of Forest Labs' Lexapro. The drug is used for treating major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan on Friday announced that the company and its subsidiary, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, have resolved the defamation and other related litigation filed by Mylan against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and two of its reporters.

"The litigation has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties," the parties said in a joint statement. "The Post-Gazette did not find and did not intend to report that Mylan had manufactured or distributed any defective drugs. The Post-Gazette regrets if any reader of the article thought otherwise."

PITTSBURGH — Generic drug maker Mylan plans to challenge a court decision that requires it to pay almost $20 million to a drug company whose product it tried to market as a generic.

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals sued Mylan and several subsidiaries in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware when the latter sought to market a generic version of Sunovion's Xopenex (levalbuterol hydrochloride) inhalation solution, a drug for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The jury's verdict includes an $18 million award.

WASHINGTON — The generic drug industry's main lobby is hoping Congress will act on a proposed user fee program for generic drugs that it helped negotiate with the Food and Drug Administration.

PITTSBURGH — The Food and Drug Administration has given tentative approval to a generic cholesterol drug made by Mylan, the drug maker said Thursday.

Mylan announced that it had received tentative approval for a generic version of Pfizer's Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) in the 10-mg, 20-mg, 40-mg and 80-mg strengths.