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SAN ANTONIO— Mission Pharmacal Company on Thursday announced the availability of a new, patented dual-iron version of its prenatal vitamin, CitraNatal Harmony, a single-pill prescription supplement with calcium citrate. The product features Ferr-Ease, a patented blend of ferrous fumarate, a rapidly absorbing iron salt, and carbonyl iron, known for its gentle, prolonged absorption.  

ATLANTA — Getting a flu vaccine reduces a child’s risk of flu-related intensive care hospitalization by 74%, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published Thursday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

DUBLIN and LAVAL, Quebec — Actavis and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International announced that the Food and Drug Administration approved the new drug application for Metronidazole 1.3% vaginal gel.

The antibiotic is used for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, an infection caused by an imbalance in the normal bacteria of vagina. It's the most common vaginal infection in women ages 15 years to 44 years. Metronidazole 1.3% provides a single-dose treatment that is packaged in a pre-filled disposable applicator.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan on Monday announced the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ruled in favor of upholding the validity of patents protecting Perforomist (formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Solution. Mylan previously sued Teva alleging that Teva's abbreviated new drug application for this product infringed four Mylan patents covering Perforomist.  

The court's decision prevents Teva's ANDA, which has yet to receive a tentative approval from the Food and Drug Administration. 

SUMMIT, N.J. — Celgene on Friday announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Otezla (apremilast), the company's oral, selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis. A chronic disorder, psoriatic arthritis is characterized by pain, stiffness, swelling and tenderness of the joints, inflammation of specific ligaments and tendons, and a decrease in physical functioning. Otezla is the only FDA-approved oral treatment for psoriatic arthritis.

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. — Upsher-Smith Laboratories on Monday announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which New Jersey-based Vertical Pharmaceuticals has acquired Upsher-Smith's rights to Divigel (estradiol gel) 0.1%, Nexa Plus Rx Prenatal Vitamin, and Provella, a probiotic dietary supplement. As part of the transaction, Upsher-Smith has transferred the new drug application for Divigel to Vertical Pharmaceuticals. 

NEW YORK — IMS Health Holdings is expected to launch an initial public stock offering in two weeks, according to a report Sunday in the Wall Street Journal. The syndicated prescription data service could be valued as much as $7 billion, WSJ noted, citing people familiar with the matter, with a per-share price of as much as $21. 

WASHINGTON — A new analysis from Avalere Health released Monday found that consumers purchasing insurance through exchanges are twice as likely to face utilization management controls on prescription medications compared with people enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance plans. Utilization management controls, including prior authorization and step therapy, are administrative steps that patients and their physicians must complete to demonstrate appropriate use of the drugs.