Content about Pharmaceuticals policy

September 7, 2010
Greenstone, Eisai to launch authorized generic of Aricept

The generics division of Pfizer will sell an authorized generic version of a drug used...

PEAPACK, N.J. The generics division of Pfizer will sell an authorized generic version of a drug used to treat dementia.

 

Greenstone said Wednesday that it had agreed with Eisai to launch donepezil hydrochloride tablets, an authorized generic of Aricept. The drug is used to treat dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease. Eisai makes the drug under a partnership with Pfizer.

 

 

September 7, 2010
Watson gets FDA approval for generic Yasmin

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic oral contraceptive made by Watson Pharmaceuticals,...

MORRISTOWN, N.J. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic oral contraceptive made by Watson Pharmaceuticals, the drug maker said Tuesday.

 

Watson announced the FDA’s approval of Zarah (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets) in the 3 mg/0.03 mg strength. The drug is a generic version of Bayer’s Yasmin.

 

 

September 6, 2010
Greenstone to launch Authorized Generics Alliance

The generics subsidiary of Pfizer is launching a new business focused on authorized generics....

PEAPACK, N.J. The generics subsidiary of Pfizer is launching a new business focused on authorized generics.

 

Greenstone announced Tuesday the launch of the Authorized Generics Alliance, which it said would combine its business model and 17 years of experience in the generics market with the expertise of other drug makers to market authorized generics in the United States under the Greenstone label.

 

 

September 6, 2010
Watson confirms patent challenge for generic Combigan

Generic drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals has applied for Food and Drug Administration approval for a...

MORRISTOWN, N.J. Generic drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals has applied for Food and Drug Administration approval for a version of a drug used to treat eye diseases, Watson said Tuesday.

September 1, 2010
Actavis' generic Strattera gets OK from FDA

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic drug made by Actavis for treating...

MORRISTOWN, N.J. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic drug made by Actavis for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Actavis said Wednesday.

 

The FDA approved the drug maker’s atomoxetine hydrochloride capsules in the 10-mg, 18-mg, 25-mg, 40-mg, 60-mg, 80-mg and 100-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Eli Lilly’s Strattera, which had $532 million in sales during the 12-month period ended in June, according to IMS Health.

 

 

August 31, 2010
FDA approves Sun's generic Strattera

A generic drug maker has received regulatory approval for its version of an attention deficit...

MUMBAI, India A generic drug maker has received regulatory approval for its version of an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' subsidiary has received approval to market its generic version of Strattera (atomoxetine hydrochloride capsules), an ADHD drug for children ages 6 years and older, as well as teens and adults. Strattera is made and marketed by Eli Lilly.

Annual sales of branded and generic atomoxetine hydrochloride capsules are estimated to be more than $530 million.

August 30, 2010
Affordable Care Act pays off for Medicare beneficiaries, Sebelius says

More than 1 million Medicare beneficiaries have received prescription drug cost relief through the Affordable...

August 30, 2010
IMS Health exec to NACDS conference attendees: Expect opportunities, uncertainties for drug market

The U.S. drug market will present opportunities as well as uncertainties over the next decade,...

SAN DIEGO The U.S. drug market will present opportunities as well as uncertainties over the next decade, according to remarks made by IMS Health VP industry relations Doug Long at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ 2010 Pharmacy and Technology Conference held here on Monday.

 

August 29, 2010
FDA posts new quarterly list from AERS

The Food and Drug Administration has posted a new list of drugs from its Adverse...

SILVER SPRING, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has posted a new list of drugs from its Adverse Event Reporting System, designed to address potential signals of serious risks and new safety information about drugs on the market.

August 29, 2010
King names new chief commercial officer

Jeffrey Bailey has been appointed as King Pharmaceuticals' chief commercial officer, leading all sales, marketing,...

BRISTOL, Tenn. Jeffrey Bailey has been appointed as King Pharmaceuticals' chief commercial officer, leading all sales, marketing, managed care, sales operations and business analytics for the drug maker.

BRISTOL, Tenn. Jeffrey Bailey has been appointed as King Pharmaceuticals' chief commercial officer, leading all sales, marketing, managed care, sales operations and business analytics for the drug maker.

August 25, 2010
Medicare coverage of evidence-based tobacco-cessation counseling expanded

The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday expanded Medicare coverage of evidence-based tobacco-cessation...

WASHINGTON The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday expanded Medicare coverage of evidence-based tobacco-cessation counseling, removing a barrier to treatment for all tobacco users covered by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced.

 

August 25, 2010
Teva launches generic version of popular antidepressant

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has launched a generic version of a weekly formulation of a popular...

NORTH WALES, Pa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has launched a generic version of a weekly formulation of a popular antidepressant, the generic drug maker said.

 

Teva announced the launch of fluoxetine delayed-release capsules, a generic version of Eli Lilly’s Prozac Weekly.

 

NORTH WALES, Pa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has launched a generic version of a weekly formulation of a popular antidepressant, the generic drug maker said.

 

August 24, 2010
Branded prescription drug prices on the rise

Retail prices of branded prescription drugs went up by 8.3% in 2009, according to an...

WASHINGTON Retail prices of branded prescription drugs went up by 8.3% in 2009, according to an analysis released Wednesday by AARP.

 

August 24, 2010
Medicare bid to simplify Part D program could shift many seniors, study predicts

More than 3 million older Americans may have to switch to a different Medicare drug...

August 23, 2010
Drug Store News 2010 Prescriber Report

Behind every prescription that lands at the pharmacy counter is a series of
events that influence the prescriber’s decision. Powered by data from SDI
Health, Drug Store News goes inside the examination room in this exclusive
report, providing an in-depth look at the critical factors that shape
pharmaceutical sales trends and shift market share from one drug to another
in 10 key market segments.

Behind every prescription that lands at the pharmacy counter is a series of
events that influence the prescriber’s decision. Powered by data from SDI
Health, Drug Store News goes inside the examination room in this exclusive
report, providing an in-depth look at the critical factors that shape
pharmaceutical sales trends and shift market share from one drug to another
in 10 key market segments.

August 23, 2010
Impax Labs pursuing FDA approval for generic cholesterol-lowering drug

Generic drug maker Impax Labs is hoping to win approval for a generic cholesterol-lowering drug....

August 22, 2010
Guest opinion: Harnessing communication power of pharmacy

Over-the-counter and health-and-beauty care marketers have been struggling to find ways to harness the communication...

August 22, 2010
Teva introduces generic drug that lowers blood pressure

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has introduced a generic drug for lowering patients’ blood pressure, the world’s...

NORTH WALES, Pa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has introduced a generic drug for lowering patients’ blood pressure, the world’s largest manufacturer of generic drugs said Monday.

Teva introduced clonidine transdermal system, a generic version of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Catapres-TTS. The drug is available in 0.1 mg, 0.2 mg and 0.3 mg strengths and comes in the form of a patch designed for daily application.

The drug has annual sales of around $297 million, according to IMS Health.

August 18, 2010
Biogen Idec inks ALS treatment deal with Knopp

Swiss drug maker Biogen Idec will develop and commercialize an investigational drug as a treatment...

August 17, 2010
HealthWarehouse.com's Q2 sales, expenses rise

Retail mail-order pharmacy HealthWarehouse.com reported Wednesday a 106% spike in its second-quarter sales....

August 17, 2010
ProAmatine to be pulled from market, Shire says

Shire has decided to withdraw its blood pressure drug from the market, the drug maker...

August 16, 2010
Independent pharmacy lobby weighs in as feds mull ‘grandfather’ status for plans

Federal agencies enforcing new health-reform mandates must act to preserve patients’ access to the pharmacy...

August 15, 2010
Meda ventures into generic drugs

A lot of generic drug companies have conducted business in the branded drug market on...

SOMERSET, N.J. A lot of generic drug companies have conducted business in the branded drug market on the side for a long time, with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Watson Pharmaceuticals standing out as good examples. But lately, some branded drug companies have sought to get into generics as well.

 

Meda Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. subsidiary of Swedish drug maker Meda A.B., recently decided to create its own generics subsidiary, calling it Wallace Pharmaceuticals, senior marketing director John White told Drug Store News.

 

August 12, 2010
District court rules against Lilly in Strattera patent suit

The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has ruled against drug maker...

INDIANAPOLIS The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has ruled against drug maker Eli Lilly in its patent infringement case against generic drug maker Actavis regarding a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Lilly said.

 

The court ruled that a method-of-use patent covering the drug, Strattera (atomoxetine), was invalid. The patent was set to expire in May 2017.

 

 

August 12, 2010
FMAP extension: An investment and a money-saving venture

In these times of trillion-dollar spending bills and massive deficits, $16 billion may not seem...

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT In these times of trillion-dollar spending bills and massive deficits, $16 billion may not seem like all that much. But it’s enough to throw another critical lifeline to states coping with the ever-rising costs of Medicaid health assistance to the poor and unemployed –– and to thousands of community pharmacies that have to provide prescription services to those millions of Americans.