Content about pharmaceuticals

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bausch + Lomb on Friday appointed a clinical professor of ophthalmology to serve as the company's first-ever chief medical officer.

As CMO, Calvin Roberts will coordinate B + L's research and development efforts across its vision care, pharmaceuticals and surgical business units.

In addition to his role at Bausch + Lomb, Roberts is a clinical professor of ophthalmology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He also is a member of the board of directors at Alimera Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company he co-founded in 2003.

BASEL, Switzerland — Novartis on Thursday morning named Naomi Kelman head of the Novartis OTC division, effective March 2. She will report directly to Joseph Jimenez, Novartis CEO.

The Novartis OTC and animal health businesses will become separate Novartis divisions, in addition to the pharmaceuticals, Sandoz (generics), vaccines and diagnostics divisions. As previously announced, following the completion of the merger between Novartis and Alcon, CIBA Vision and Novartis ophthalmic medicines will be merged into the new Alcon eye care division of Novartis.

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Optivia Biotechnology on Tuesday announced that the company and the Food and Drug Administration have signed a collaboration agreement to assess the effect of dietary supplements on key drug transporters.

Drug transporters are proteins on the surface of cells that either facilitate or hinder the transport of nutrients or pharmaceuticals. Drug transporters can increase or decrease the absorption of drugs into the body, as well as limit or facilitate the exposure of certain organs.

BOISE, Idaho — PakSense has launched a small device for monitoring the temperatures of medicines, the company said Monday.

PakSense said its BIOmed Label is about the size of a sugar packet and can be used to digitally monitor the temperatures of pharmaceuticals, biologics and vaccines during storage and distribution.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday announced that Alex Gorsky, currently worldwide chairman of medical devices and diagnostics, and Sheri McCoy, currently worldwide chairman of pharmaceuticals, have been appointed vice chairmen of the executive committee, joining William Weldon, J&J chairman and CEO, in an expanded Office of the Chairman.

Both appointments are effective Jan. 3.

DUBLIN, Ohio Cardinal Health is looking to expand the pharmaceutical segment of its business by acquiring a pharmaceutical distributor serving the New York metropolitan area.

The company said its acquisition of Kinray for $1.3 billion in an all-cash transaction would significantly expand its ability to serve retail independent pharmacies in the northeastern United States. Kinray currently serves more than 2,000 retail independent pharmacy customers as a distributor of both branded and generic pharmaceuticals.

NEW YORK In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson chairman and CEO William Weldon outlined a number of organizational changes taking place across the company in light of the recent spate of recalled products at McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a J&J company.

First, there is the creation of a corporate oversight group, headed by Ajit Shetty, who will be in charge of operations for the company’s pharmaceuticals, medical device and consumer segments. Shetty will report directly to Weldon.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT If specialty pharmacy is the future of the pharmaceutical industry, as evidenced by the amount of research and development currently being placed against specialty pharmaceuticals, then this partnership can only mean one thing — the future is now.

(THE NEWS: Hy-Vee, specialty pharmacy Amber form Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions. To read the full story, click here)

NEW YORK What’s really intriguing behind the return of a consumer division to Pfizer is the fact that two of its flagship pharmaceuticals -- Lipitor and Viagra -- are approaching patent expiration, and both have been suggested as possible Rx-to-OTC switch candidates by Kline & Co.

NEW YORK Walmart isn’t letting the lack of a physical presence in select Midwestern and Northeastern markets hinder its ability to offer prescription drugs, thanks to the expansion of a mail-order program begun earlier this year in Michigan. The program enables customers to receive a 90-day supply of approximately 300 generics for $10 via free mail delivery, or any of approximately 3,000 other pharmaceuticals that the company offers.