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WASHINGTON — Greater use of statins in reducing the risk of high cholesterol is among the long-awaited new guidelines for treating lipid and weight disorders.

BASEL, Switzerland — Swiss drug maker Novartis is selling its blood transfusion diagnostics business to a Spanish manufacturer for $1.675 billion, Novartis said Monday.

The drug maker said it expected the sale, to Grifols, to be completed in 2014. Novartis bought the Emeryville, Calif.-based unit in 2006 as part of its acquisition of Chiron. Its sales in 2012 were about $565 million. Grifols is headquartered in Barcelona.

DUBLIN — Shire will pay $4.2 billion to buy a drug maker specializing in treatments for rare diseases.

Shire, headquartered in Ireland, said the $50-per-share acquisition of ViroPharma would strengthen its rare disease portfolio. Exton, Pa.-based ViroPharma's products include the hereditary angioedema drug Cinryze (C1 esterase inhibitor [human]) and Vancocin (vancomycin hydrochloride), used to treat Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

MASON, Ohio — Aprecia Pharmaceuticals Co. has appointed Don Wetherhold as its CEO, the company said Monday.

Wetherhold is returning to Aprecia after a term as SVP long-term care at Omnicare; prior to that, he was Aprecia's corporate commercialization officer.

"We are thrilled to have Don back at Aprecia, and we look forward to the leadership he will bring to this role," Aprecia chairman E. Thomas Arington. "Don was instrumental in devising our commercialization strategy at Aprecia."

RALEIGH, N.C. — Salix Pharmaceuticals will buy Santarus for $2.6 billion, the drug makers said.

Salix will acquire all outstanding common stock of Santarus for $32 in cash, representing an approximately 36% premium over the Wednesday closing price of the company. The acquisition is expected to close in first quarter 2014. Both companies specialize in gastrointestinal drugs.

WASHINGTON — Boehringer Ingelheim SVP managed markets Jeff Huth has been elected by the National Pharmaceutical Council as chairman of the board for 2013-2014, the organization said Friday.

Huth has served as a member of the NPC's board since 2009 and has previously had the positions of vice chairman and treasurer. The NPC, founded in 1953, describes itself as a health policy research organization focused on the advancement of science and medical innovation.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for treating epileptic seizures, the agency said Friday.

The FDA announced the approval of Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate), made by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, as an add-on medication for seizures in adults. About 200,000 new cases of seizures and epilepsy occur in the United States each year, according to the FDA.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — Drug maker Eisai has launched a new version of a drug used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, the company said Friday.

Eisai announced the availability of Aciphex Sprinkle delayed-release capsules in the 5-mg and 10-mg strengths. The Food and Drug Administration approve the drug in March.

Aciphex Sprinkle capsules, which are approved for use in children aged 1 to 11 for up to 12 weeks, are designed to be broken open and sprinkled on soft food or liquid.