WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., March 11, 2010 -- Merck & Co., Inc. today said that the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) of the IMPROVE-IT study has performed a pre-specified interim analysis of efficacy data and also reviewed safety data from the IMPROVE-IT trial and has approved continuing the study. The interim efficacy analysis was conducted by the DSMB after the trial had reached approximately fifty percent of the 5,250 pre-specified clinical endpoints called for in the study design. Merck remains blinded to the actual results of the interim analysis and other IMPROVE-IT data.

Read more: Merck Provides Update on the IMPROVE-IT Trial

ABC News has run stories this week about bisphosphonates including FOSAMAX that miss several key points which we believe viewers and online readers should know.

Read more: Merck Responds to News Reports about FOSAMAX® (alendronate sodium) Tablets

A NEW Skin Care Line Inspired by Bioelectricity and Clinically Proven to Minimize Visible Signs of Collagen Loss

Los Angeles, CA (March 11 2010) -- After years of research and ten new technology patents, Neutrogena®, the #1 dermatologist-recommend skin care brand, introduces NEUTROGENA CLINICAL™, featuring a breakthrough new anti-aging technology known as ION2COMPLEX™ to revitalize the look of collagen-depleted skin.

Read more: Introducing NEUTROGENA CLINICAL™ with ION2COMPLEX™ Technology

March 11, 2010 – Wilmington, DE – On March 10-11, 2010, the Joint Advisory Committees of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – including the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committees – discussed the design of post-marketing safety studies for long-acting beta-agonist (LABA)-containing products in the U.S., including SYMBICORT® (budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate).

Read more: AstraZeneca comments on FDA Joint Advisory Committee meeting on post-marketing safety studies for the use of LABAs in asthma

Dear Pharmacist:
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of NEW once-daily MIRAPEX ER tablets.

Once-daily MIRAPEX ER is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of early Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is not indicated for the treatment of advanced PD.

Read more: MIRAPEX ER (pramipexole dihydrochloride extended-release tablets) - Now Available

Press Release Jerusalem, Israel, March 9, 2010 - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA) announced today that its Board of Directors received a letter from Mr. Eli Hurvitz indicating that he wishes to be released from his duties at Teva in order to focus on his full recovery. Accordingly, Professor Moshe Many has stepped down from his role as Interim Chairman and following deliberations held by the Board of Directors and in accordance with the recommendation of the Nomination Committee, the Board has unanimously appointed its Vice Chairman, Dr. Phillip Frost, to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Read more: Teva Announces the Appointment of Dr. Philip Frost As Chairman of Its Board of Directors

Research Reveals Broad Spectrum Sunscreens Containing Antioxidants Can Provide Measurable Skincare Benefits Beyond Sun Protection

WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ, March 5, 2010—Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc., the consumer healthcare division of Merck & Co., Inc., the makers of COPPERTONE®, announced today at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology the results of studies demonstrating the efficacy of topical antioxidants in broad spectrum sunscreens.

Read more: Coppertone® Solar Research Center Unveils Studies on Efficacy of Topical Antioxidants in Sunscreens at 2010 Annual Meeting of The American Academy of Dermatology

Mar 9, 2010

March 9, 2010 – Princeton, NJ and Wilmington, DE – Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) today announced the commencement of the "Saxagliptin Assessment of Vascular Outcomes Recorded in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus" trial (SAVOR-TIMI 53), a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 4 study, to evaluate treatment with ONGLYZA™ (saxagliptin), a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitor, in adult type 2 diabetes patients with cardiovascular risk factors. The five-year study will follow approximately 12,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, who have either a history of previous cardiovascular events or multiple risk factors for vascular disease, and includes patients with renal impairment.

Read more: Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca announce the commencement of the Saxagliptin Assessment of Vascular Outcomes Recorded in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Trial (SAVOR-TIMI 53)

March 4, 2010

Deerfield, Ill., (March 4, 2010) –Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. announced today that KAPIDEX^™ (dexlansoprazole) will be marketed in the United States under the new product trade name DEXILANT^™ (dexlansoprazole). The product is indicated for heartburn associated with symptomatic non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the healing of erosive esophagitis (EE) and the maintenance of healed EE.

Read more: KAPIDEX™ (dexlansoprazole) Renamed DEXILANT™ in U.S. to Avoid Name Confusion

Jerusalem, March 2, 2010 - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq:TEVA) announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled in Teva's favor by overturning a July 31, 2009, district court decision which held that Teva forfeited 180-day marketing exclusivity for its generic versions of Merck's antihypertensive agents Hyzaar® (hydrochlorothiazide; losartan potassium) and Cozaar® (losartan potassium).

Read more: Teva Announces Favorable Court Ruling in Generic Hyzaar® and Cozaar® Litigation

Novo Nordisk announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Norditropin^® FlexPro^®, a new prefilled growth hormone injection pen to be used by children and adults.

Read more: Novo Nordisk receives FDA approval for Norditropin® FlexPro® for growth hormone treatment (3 Mar 2010)

Data Presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting

NEW ORLEANS, March 2, 2010 – In new data from a Phase III study in 345 children and adolescents (ages 5-17 years), patients with grass pollen allergic rhinoconjunctivitis treated with Merck's investigational sublingual grass (Phleum Pratense) allergy immunotherapy tablet (AIT) showed a 26 percent greater improvement in the total combined score (daily symptom score and daily medication score), compared to patients receiving placebo (p=0.001). Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, or runny nose and itchy, watery eyes due to allergies, is a common condition in children and adolescents. These data were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Read more: Merck Reports Results of Phase III Study of Investigational Oral Allergy Immunotherapy Tablet (AIT) in Patients Ages 5-17 with Grass Pollen Allergy

Integrated pipeline includes potential first-in-class candidates in therapeutic areas including cardiology, diabetes and infectious diseases

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., March 1, 2010 ─ Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) today announced its updated, newly integrated, late-stage pipeline following its recent merger with Schering-Plough. The new pipeline features a broad and diversified portfolio of investigational medicines and vaccines, including more than 20 candidates in Phase III or under regulatory review, and more than 20 candidates in Phase II of development.

Read more: Merck Announces Robust Integrated Pipeline With More Than 20 Medicines and Vaccines in Late-Stage Development

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., March 1, 2010 – Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that it has been advised by AstraZeneca PLC that it will exercise the option to obtain Merck's interest in AstraZeneca's non-proton pump inhibitor (non-PPI) products this year. Those products are Atacand™, Lexxel™, Plendil™ and Entocort™ plus certain products currently in clinical development. In April, Merck will receive a payment of $647 million which represents the net present value as of March 31, 2008 for the company's share of the projected pretax revenue for the non-PPI products.

Read more: AstraZeneca Exercises Option to Acquire Merck's Interest in Partnership Products

Application works with mobile devices and offers healthcare providers up-to-date visibility into their claim submission and management processes

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Emdeon Inc. (NYSE: EM), a leading provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management solutions, today announced the introduction of a mobile application for its award winning medical claim management platform Emdeon Vision(SM). The Emdeon Vision Mobile application offers healthcare providers an on-the-go snapshot of their claims and related cash flow and is compatible with the iPhone®, Android™, Windows Mobile®, Palm® and many other "smart" portable devices.

Read more: Emdeon Introduces Mobile Application for Healthcare Claim Reporting Software, Emdeon Vision

Published date: 01 March 2010

AstraZeneca today announced that, under the provisions of the agreements relating to the restructuring of the AstraZeneca and Merck joint venture in the United States, AstraZeneca has notified Merck that it will exercise the First Option related to the relinquishment of Merck’s rights over the products not covered by the Partial Retirement (which occurred in March 2008), other than Nexium and Prilosec and the right to receive contingent payments in respect of the authorized generic version of felodipine.  Products covered by the First Option include Entocort, Atacand and Plendil, and certain products still in development, including Brilinta, AZD3355, AZD6765 and AZD2327.

Read more: AstraZeneca Provides An Update On The Status Of Its Arrangements With Merck

By Tamara Best, Timefreepress.com - Feb. 28, 2010

Stop by Thrifty MedPlus Pharmacy and there's a chance owner Nick Akins is handing out gummy bears to children as their parents pick up medicine at the drive-through window.

Read more: Independent pharmacies still have right prescription for business

By Kathleen Koster, Employee Benefit News - March 1, 2010

Any change in benefits can be confusing and sometimes troubling for employees.

That's why when the University of Kentucky made a drastic switch in their copay system, its benefits staff enlisted two professionals from the school's College of Pharmacy to address and assuage employees' concerns.

Read more: University uses its own pharmacists to counsel employees on Rx benefit changes

By Andrea Davis, Employee Benefit News - February 1, 2010

The viability of the pharmacy benefit manager/retail pharmacy business model has come under fire again as critics accuse CVS Caremark of driving up costs for health plans and lowering quality for patients, reducing transparency and hampering oversight for health plans and compromising the privacy of health plan participants.

Read more: Report calls PBM merger into question

Federal Times - Feb. 28, 2010

The Office of Personnel Management said yesterday it opposes a bill that aims to increase the transparency of prescription drug costs.

Read more: OPM opposes bill to increase transparency in drug pricing