Content about ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS — Fleming Pharmaceuticals has sold rights of several of its products to Valeant International, Fleming said Wednesday.

Fleming announced the sale of the OTC nasal spray Ocean, the prescription kidney dialysis vitamin supplement Nephrocaps, the magnesium supplement Magonate and ProBarimin QT, a medical food product for patients who have received weight loss surgery. Financial terms were not disclosed.

NEW YORK — Supermarket chain Schnucks is hoping to benefit from the spat between Walgreens and pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, according to published reports.

ST. LOUIS — Supervalu banner Save-A-Lot will open a new 330,000-sq.-ft. food distribution center in Lexington, N.C., on Wednesday.

The distribution center initially will service more than 70 stores within a 150-mile radius, Save-A-Lot noted.

The distribution center, which will employ 35 employees, is part of the company's commitment to expand in the region. Currently, there are nearly 30 Save-A-Lot stores in North Carolina, including one in Lexington; the company plans to open an additional three stores in the state by March 2012.

ST. LOUIS — Energizer announced that its VP and general counsel will retire.

The company said Gayle Stratmann, who was named VP and general counsel in March 2003, will leave her post in the first half of 2012.

"Gayle has done an outstanding job as our general counsel," Energizer CEO Ward Klein said. "Her wisdom, deep understanding of the business and strategic counsel has served management and the shareholders well. We wish Gayle the very best in her retirement."

ST. LOUIS — Energizer’s new flameless candles give consumers a new way to light their homes. Energizer’s Glas flameless candles have the warm glow and realistic flicker of a traditional candle, but offer safe, functional and efficient LED lighting. The flameless candles have four-hour timers and can be used throughout the house.


ST. LOUIS — Anheuser-Busch has launched the first seasonal offering under its Shock Top craft beer label. Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat, a traditional Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with pumpkins and autumnal spices, will be available until January 2012 in six-packs and 12-oz. bottles. 


A-B also is launching the brand’s first sampler pack, including the original Shock Top Belgian White, Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat and Shock Top Raspberry Wheat. Sales of the Shock Top brand have been ahead 77% for the first half of the year, according to A-B.

ST. LOUIS — Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts will provide services for patients using a drug to manage a debilitating side effect of many anti-cancer treatments, ESI said.

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis University Medical Center on Tuesday issued a step-by-step guide in tackling allergies, timely considering the recent uptick in ragweed allergies. According to Weather.com, weed allergens are particularly high right now across much of the continental United States.

The guidelines:

ST. LOUIS — Save-A-Lot, the hard-discount, limited-assortment grocery chain owned by Supervalu, on Tuesday dispatched two "brand ambassadors" on the Save-A-Lot Fuel Your Family Road Trip. The "Road Scholars" will make pitstops at Save-A-Lot locations in 10 cities between Aug. 7 and Aug. 28 to help raise awareness that Save-A-Lot can be the go-to source for affordable, high-quality food.

ST. LOUIS — The Food and Drug Administration has approved an opioid painkiller made by Covidien's generic drug division, the medical supply company said.

Covidien said the FDA approved Mallinckrodt's morphine sulfate oral solution, used to relieve moderate to severe acute and chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients.

ST. LOUIS — Two of the country’s largest pharmacy benefit managers plan to merge in a deal worth $29.1 billion.

St. Louis-based Express Scripts and Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based Medco Health Solutions announced Thursday that their boards had voted unanimously to approve the merger, though the deal still is subject to regulatory review. The deal would create the country’s largest PBM, followed by CVS Caremark.

ST. LOUIS — Retail pharmacy and specialty distributor Foundation Care has acquired a new office and warehouse space to accommodate new demand for its pharmacy and distribution services, the company said.

The 20,000-sq.-ft. space is adjacent to its Earth City, Mo., location, and the company said it would ensure adequate space to cater to its current and future pharmaceutical, biotech and device business partners.