Branded

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association and RxWiki, Inc., a leading pharmacy media network, announced today a new partnership that will offer digital solutions to more than 23,000 community pharmacies across the country. Through this strategic partnership, NCPA will incorporate RxWiki's Digital Pharmacist offering as a new, cost-free benefit for its members. The Digital Pharmacist suite includes website, social media, and mobile solutions for pharmacists to deliver medication information to patients.

LONDON — British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline has acquired Swiss vaccine development company Okairos for $325 million, GSK said Wednesday.

Privately owned Okairos develops technologies used to create vaccines, and GSK said it would use them in the development of the "next generation" of vaccines for preventing infections and for treatment of infections and diseases, saying it would allow the development of the "next generation.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca will buy Omthera Pharmaceuticals for $323 million, the two companies said Tuesday.

Omthera, based in Princeton, N.J., develops drugs for dyslipidemia, conditions that result in abnormal levels of lipids in the blood. Its lead products include Epanova, an experimental drug for patients with high triglycerides that's based on omega-3 fatty acids; Omthera has finished late-stage clinical trials of the drug and plans to file for Food and Drug Administration approval in mid-2013.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Canadian drug maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International is buying U.S.-based Bausch & Lomb Holdings for $8.7 billion, the companies said Monday.

Bausch & Lomb makes prescription and over-the-counter eye health products, as well as contact lenses and solutions and eye-surgery equipment.

LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food is offering discounts at the pharmacy counter with a new card available for a one-time enrollment fee, the supermarket chain said Tuesday.

Giant, the Ahold USA-operated supermarket banner also known as Giant-Landover due to being based in Landover, Md., and to distinguish it from fellow Ahold chain Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Pa., announced the launch of the Giant Prescription Savings Card, which offers discounts on branded and generic drugs and personalized savings on other health-related products.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — A federal court has blocked Actavis from distributing its generic version of a drug for treating asthma, the company said.

Actavis said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had issued an injunction against Actavis' distribution of budesonide inhalation suspension at the request of AstraZeneca, which sells the drug under the trade name Pulmicort Respules.

NEW YORK — The Touro College of Pharmacy awarded three graduating students for their research into drug interactions, pneumonia treatment and access to birth control pills.

EXTON, Pa. — In anticipation of new treatments for hepatitis C, a growing number of physicians have begun intentionally delaying treatment for patients, according to a new study.