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DUBLIN — Irish drug maker Elan Corp. is paying about $380 million to buy one drug maker and a large stake in another, the company said.

Elan announced plans to buy Vienna-based AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals for about $340 million, a company that specializes in drugs for rare conditions in a variety of areas, including cancer, neurology and metabolic disorders. Elan also paid an initial $40 million to buy a 48% stake in Newbridge Pharmaceuticals, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Elan will have the option to buy the rest of the company for $244 million by 2015.

SHELTON, Conn. — Actively promoting an over-the-counter medicine outside of the retail box not only drives foot traffic, but it helps increase sales across households with a higher income and also more heavily indexed OTC product consumers, TABS Group CEO Kurt Jetta told attendees of a webcast covering a recent TABS Group Consumer Value Study. And while passively promoting at the shelf also pushes sales higher, the return on promotional investment is not nearly as robust.

LOS ANGELES — Rx Timer Cap has introduced a new version of the cap designed for ease of use among elderly patients.

The company announced Tuesday the introduction of the new EZ-Twist removal system for making the cap easy to open and close for people who don't require childproof caps.

MINNEAPOLIS — Nash Finch, a Minneapolis-based food distributor, has announced that Kevin Elliott has been appointed EVP, president and COO of Nash Finch Wholesale/Retail.

Elliott previously served as SVP of merchandising, logistics and marketing at 7-Eleven. Elliott worked at 7-Eleven from 2001 to 2010, where he was responsible for overseeing the corporate store and franchise operations as well as 7-Eleven’s national distribution network comprised of 26 distribution centers.

NEW YORK — Estée Lauder has developed through IdeaBank — a division of the BeautyBank organization within Estée Lauder — a new beauty brand to meet the unique needs of Asian skin.

The new Osiao brand will debut exclusively in Hong Kong with Lane Crawford at the Canton Road and Times Square locations, starting in mid-October. Simultaneously, the brand will launch with Cathay Pacific Airways, in which a tailored selection of products will be offered on their Hong Kong flights.

NEW YORK — The generic drug user fee program may have hit a speed bump due to budget problems in Congress, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported that implementation of the law may be delayed because Congress must first pass legislation authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to collect money from generic drug companies, but the problem is that members of Congress will leave Washington this week, not to return until after the Nov. 6 elections.