Content about Pharmaceutical sciences

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. government are suing two generic drug makers to stop them from launching a generic drug for HIV, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported Thursday that Tibotec, a subsidiary of J&J, and the government were separately suing Mylan and Lupin over a generic version of the drug Prezista (darunavir ethanolate), alleging patent infringement.

BASEL, Switerland — Swiss drug maker Novartis will focus on innovation as part of a program for long-term growth, the company said Wednesday.

Novartis touted its research and development pipeline of 142 drugs in clinical trials, 35% of which are in phase 3 or undergoing regulatory review, as well as a plan to submit 30 more drugs for regulatory review by the end of 2012. The company also plans to continue investing in vaccine development.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — There is a direct correlation between the amount of a patient's out-of-pocket co-pay and prescription abandonment, according to the findings of a CVS Caremark-sponsored study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study also found that e-prescriptions are more likely to be abandoned at retail compared with handwritten prescriptions.

The world of generic drugs has a big year ahead of it. Actually, it has a few big years ahead of it. But 2011 in particular carries a certain symbolic value as the year in which Pfizer, the world’s biggest drug maker, loses control of its patent for the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), the world’s top-selling drug.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario —Katz Group Canada’s flagship Rexall drug store chain has unveiled a new format, called Rexall Healthy Living Pharmacy, at six Rexall locations across Canada. The stores offer “more than 200 health information touch points, new team members, new tools and services, and one of the broadest assortments of [dermatologic] brands in the Canadian market,” according to Katz Group.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In a ruling hailed by retail pharmacy leaders, the Department of Defense now is insisting that drug manufacturers extend the same discounts for prescription drugs sold at community pharmacies that the military gets for medicines dispensed through base dispensaries or mail order.

NEW YORK —The often wide gap between what consumers will pay out of pocket for a branded versus a generic drug is one big factor driving the continually rising demand curve for me-too medicines.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Retail pharmacies scored a big victory in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule, which puts the kibosh on pricing policies that would have severely affected retail pharmacies' ability to make money from generic drugs, and thus forced them to turn away Medicaid patients.

NEW YORK To express it in modern parlance, follow-on biologics will be a hot mess.

While speaking at the Reuters Health Summit, according to Reuters, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Margaret Hamburg didn’t put it quite that colorfully, but she had said the science will evolve, meaning a regulatory approval pathway never will be a truly done deal.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — This is a next-generation pharmacy solution for the next generation of seniors, who begin celebrating birthday No. 65 with the coming of the New Year at a rate of one every 10 seconds, and that’s for nearly two straight decades.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — It would be no small thing to define the retail market for wellness, much less “own” it. But Walgreens is staking its future on its ability to do just that.

(THE NEWS: Walgreens chief: We want to own ‘well.’ For the full story, click here)

MORRISTOWN, N.J. Sales for generic drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals grew 33%, to $882.4 million, in third quarter 2010, according to an earnings report released Thursday.

The sales figure for the current quarter compared with $662.1 million in third quarter 2009. Profits were $105.9 million, compared with $90 million in third quarter 2009.

“Watson delivered another quarter of strong financial results and continued progress against our strategic objectives,” Watson president and CEO Paul Bisaro said.