Content about pharmaceutical

April 26, 2013

Rogue Internet pharmacies should be primary focus in efforts to secure supply chain

A House Subcommittee on Health hearing Thursday focused on efforts to strengthen the country's pharmaceutical supply chain, and particularly on draft legislation meant to accomplish that.

While often touted as the safest in the world, the U.S. drug supply chain remains vulnerable to counterfeit, adulterated and stolen medications. Given the potentially dangerous risks of using such medicines, it is imperative that they be kept out.

A House Subcommittee on Health hearing Thursday focused on efforts to strengthen the country's pharmaceutical supply chain, and particularly on draft legislation meant to accomplish that.

April 25, 2013

Cardinal Health, McKesson renew pharmaceutical distribution agreements with CVS Caremark

Cardinal Health and McKesson separately announced the renewal of their pharmaceutical distribution agreements with CVS Caremark.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health and McKesson separately announced the renewal of their pharmaceutical distribution agreements with CVS Caremark.

Under Cardinal Health’s renewed agreement, the wholesaler stated that it will supply pharmaceuticals to a network of CVS Caremark's retail pharmacies and distribution centers through mid-2016. The stores and distribution centers serviced under the new arrangement are essentially the same as those serviced in the prior arrangement.

April 25, 2013

Galderma, American Academy of Dermatology announce new research fellowship

Galderma, whose brands include Cetaphil, and The American Academy of Dermatology have announced the creation of the American Academy of Dermatology Translational Biotechnology Fellowship.

CHAUMBURG, Ill., and SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS, France — Galderma, whose brands include Cetaphil, and The American Academy of Dermatology have announced the creation of the American Academy of Dermatology Translational Biotechnology Fellowship.

April 25, 2013

Strengthening of drug supply chain's effects on independent pharmacies raises concerns

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health heard testimony on Thursday morning from representatives of the Food and Drug Administration and several industry trade groups following the introduction of draft legislation that sponsors said would strengthen the country's pharmaceutical supply chain.

WASHINGTON — The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health heard testimony on Thursday morning from representatives of the Food and Drug Administration and several industry trade groups following the introduction of draft legislation that sponsors said would strengthen the country's pharmaceutical supply chain.

April 23, 2013

FDA approves second BD Rx generic injectable drug

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a second product in BD's new line of injectable drugs, the company said Tuesday.

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a second product in BD's new line of injectable drugs, the company said Tuesday.

BD Rx, the pharmaceutical arm of the medical technology manufacturer, whose name stands for Becton, Dickinson and Co., received FDA approval for metoclopramide, part of its BD Simplist line of ready-to-administer pre-filled generic injectables. The product is an antiemetic, a drug used to stop vomiting.

April 22, 2013

NACDS Foundation announces five new board members

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation announced the election of five new members to its board of directors.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Today, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation announced the election of five new members to its board of directors. Victor Curtis, SVP pharmacy of Costco Wholesale; Jon Giacomin, president of U.S. pharmaceutical distribution for the pharmaceutical group of Cardinal Health; John Poulin, director of professional relations of Lilly USA; Todd Tillemans, president of customer development at Unilever; and Richard Tremonte, VP sales and marketing of the U.S.

April 16, 2013

Q&A: PBM evolution

DSN spoke at length with two Catamaran executives — Albert Thigpen, SVP pharmacy operations and industry relations, and Sumit Dutta, SVP and chief medical officer — about the PBM’s new approach to managed pharmacy care and the changes driving that strategy.

The health and pharmacy marketplace is undergoing rapid and fundamental transformation. To navigate profitably in tomorrow’s complex and shifting healthcare system, the pharmacy benefit management industry — along with the pharmacies and health plan payers allied with PBMs — are going to have to change and adapt as well.

April 12, 2013

Celgene head elected as PhRMA chairman

Celgene Corp. chairman and CEO Robert Hugin has been elected as chairman of a pharmaceutical industry trade group.

SAN DIEGO — Celgene Corp. chairman and CEO Robert Hugin has been elected as chairman of a pharmaceutical industry trade group.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America announced the election of Hugin, as well as Pfizer president and CEO Ian Read as chairman-elect of the PhRMA board of directors and Merck chairman, president and CEO as board treasurer.

Hugin succeeds Eli Lilly president, chairman and CEO John Lechleiter as chairman, PhRMA said.

April 12, 2013

Drug portfolio management teams devote more time, money to niche brands, study finds

Drug companies' pharmaceutical portfolio management teams spend most of their time and budgets supporting niche products, according to a new study.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Drug companies' pharmaceutical portfolio management teams spend most of their time and budgets supporting niche products, according to a new study.

April 2, 2013

AmerisourceBergen sells contract pharmaceutical packaging business to Frazier Healthcare

Frazier Healthcare announced its acquisition of AndersonBrecon, the contract pharmaceutical packaging business and wholly owned subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen.

PHILADELPHIA — Frazier Healthcare on Tuesday announced its acquisition of AndersonBrecon, the contract pharmaceutical packaging business and wholly owned subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen. Packaging Coordinators, a provider of pharmaceutical and biotechnology packaging services and Frazier Healthcare portfolio company, will combine with AndersonBrecon to offer services on a global scale.

April 2, 2013

Study finds specialty drug costs increase 15% annually

Specialty drugs are expected to account for 50% of all drug costs by 2018, according to two new studies.

SAN DIEGO — Specialty drugs are expected to account for 50% of all drug costs by 2018, according to two new studies.

By contrast, specialty drugs accounted for 20% of all drug costs in 2009, but increased to 28.7% by 2012. Pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota conducted the studies, and Prime is presenting them Tuesday at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's 25th annual meeting and expo in San Diego.

March 28, 2013

ABC divests Canadian distribution arm to Kohl & Frisch

AmerisourceBergen on Thursday announced that it has divested its Canadian pharmaceutical distribution business, AmerisourceBergen Canada Corporation, to Kohl & Frisch Limited, a Canadian-owned national full-line distributor. ABCC represented approximately 2% of AmerisourceBergen’s total revenues.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — AmerisourceBergen on Thursday announced that it has divested its Canadian pharmaceutical distribution business, AmerisourceBergen Canada Corporation, to Kohl & Frisch Limited, a Canadian-owned national full-line distributor. ABCC represented approximately 2% of AmerisourceBergen’s total revenues.

March 22, 2013

Walgreens, Alliance Boots and AmerisourceBergen help redefine economies of scale

Walgreens and Alliance Boots entered into a 10-year contract with wholesaler AmerisourceBergen on sourcing pharmaceuticals last week. But that's not all. Besides the long-term contract, Walgreens and Alliance Boots will have the option on a potential 23% equity stake in ABC in three years.

The deal takes pharmaceutical buying leverage to the stratosphere and changes the face of more than one health service industry. As Adam Fein, president of Pembroke Consulting, noted in a live television interview on Fox Business' "Money With Melissa Francis": "Three of the largest companies in the pharmaceutical industry have come together and built the single largest buyer of prescription drugs in the world," he said.

March 19, 2013

Cardinal Health braces for August contract expiration with Walgreens

In the wake of a new partnership announcement between Walgreens and AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health announced on that its pharmaceutical distribution contract with Walgreens that is scheduled to expire at the end of August 2013 will not be renewed.

DUBLIN, Ohio — In the wake of a new partnership announcement between Walgreens and AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health announced on Tuesday that its pharmaceutical distribution contract with Walgreens that is scheduled to expire at the end of August 2013 will not be renewed.

March 19, 2013

Walgreens, Alliance Boots announce blockbuster partnership with AmerisourceBergen

Walgreens will no longer source branded prescription medicines directly from suppliers beginning in September, the Chicago-based retailer announced as part of a significant partnership between Walgreens, Alliance Boots and AmerisourceBergen that includes Walgreens and Alliance Boots potentially taking a 7% stake in the Pennsylvania wholesaler.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens will no longer source branded prescription medicines directly from suppliers beginning in September, the Chicago-based retailer announced Tuesday as part of a significant partnership between Walgreens, Alliance Boots and AmerisourceBergen that includes Walgreens and Alliance Boots potentially taking a 7% stake in the Pennsylvania wholesaler. Walgreens will begin sourcing generic medicines from AmerisourceBergen beginning in the calendar year 2014.

February 28, 2013

Battle over 'pay for delay' intensifies

The battle over "pay for delay" continues to heat up, and its resolution likely won't come until the nation's highest court decides on the legality of the practice.

February 28, 2013

FDA sets generic drug user fee rates for 2013

The Food and Drug Administration has set user fee rates for generic drug companies, the agency said Jan. 27.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has set user fee rates for generic drug companies, the agency said Jan. 27.

The FDA announced that it had published a notice in the Federal Register for companies that make finished dosage forms, meaning drugs in their final form, and active pharmaceutical ingredients, meaning the main ingredients of the drugs.

February 28, 2013

FDA: New user fee program to speed generic approval process

It's been long accepted that politics makes strange bedfellows. That's certainly the case with the reauthorization in 2012 of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.

Leaders in both the branded and generic drug industries praised the reauthorization last June of PDUFA, the 20-year-old system by which research-based pharmaceutical companies help fund the government's expensive review and testing process for new drug applications.

February 28, 2013

Generics stifling pioneer drug development?

Has the explosion in generic utilization curbed pioneer-drug research and development? That's one concern floated by some pharmaceutical industry watchers, who claim that the stunning market share gains made by generic drug makers could reduce incentives for branded drug companies to spend to develop new molecular entities, conduct lengthy clinical trials, gain FDA approval and bring those new drugs to market.

February 28, 2013

NewsBytes — Chain Pharmacy, 2/18/13

The world market for generic drugs will jump more than 15% this year and reach a global total of $127.8 billion, predicted a report from British market research firm Visiongain.

Generics expected to hit double-digit growth

February 25, 2013

Generic tsunami eases, but leaves transformed Rx landscape in its wake

The generic drug tidal wave became a tsunami in 2012, with some of the world's top-selling pharmaceuticals swamped by generic competition, and health plan payers scrambling to reap billions of dollars in financial savings.

February 15, 2013

FDA seizes tainted product from Florida's Globe All Wellness

U.S. marshals, acting on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration, on Thursday seized tainted products from Globe All Wellness in Hollywood, Fla.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — U.S. marshals, acting on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration, on Thursday seized tainted products from Globe All Wellness in Hollywood, Fla. The products may be unsafe because they contain an undisclosed active pharmaceutical ingredient.

February 12, 2013

Sanofi named CCCF's corporate partner of the year

The Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing colorectal cancer incidence and death throughout the United States, presented Sanofi with its annual Blue Star Corporate Award.

NEW YORK — Sanofi US was named corporate partner of the year by the Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation (CCCF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing colorectal cancer incidence and death throughout the United States, and presented with CCCF's annual Blue Star Corporate Award.

February 5, 2013

Cardinal quarterly revenue down 7%, earnings-per-share up 15%

Cardinal Health posted $25.2 billion in revenue for its 2013 second quarter, down 7%. The company's non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was up 15% to $0.93.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health on Tuesday posted $25.2 billion in revenue for its 2013 second quarter, down 7%. The company's non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was up 15% to $0.93.

February 4, 2013

H. D. Smith names new EVP for specialty arm Smith Medical Partners

H. D. Smith announced the appointment of Tim Booth to EVP, Smith Medical Partners. Smith Medical Partners is a wholly owned subsidiary of H. D. Smith focused on specialty pharmaceutical distribution and services, and is part of the newly formed H. D. Smith Specialty Solutions group.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — H. D. Smith on Monday announced the appointment of Tim Booth to EVP, Smith Medical Partners. Smith Medical Partners is a wholly owned subsidiary of H. D. Smith focused on specialty pharmaceutical distribution and services, and is part of the newly formed H. D. Smith Specialty Solutions group.