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SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new use for a cancer drug made by Johnson & Johnson, the agency said Monday.

The FDA announced the approval of Zytiga (abiraterone acetate), made by J&J subsidiary Janssen Biotech, for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, for use prior to receiving chemotherapy. The drug was already approved for castration-resistant prostate cancer in men who had already undergone chemotherapy treatment.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Astellas Pharma US announced the Food and Drug Administration's review of their new drug application for tacrolimus extended-release capsules, a once-daily formulation of the calcineurin-inhibitor immunosuppressant tacrolimus, for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in adult kidney transplant recipients and adult male liver transplant recipients.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Amgen is buying an Iceland-based biotech company for $415 million, the two said Monday.

Amgen announced it would acquire DeCode Genetics, based in Reykjavik, Iceland, in a deal that Amgen's board of directors unanimously approved. Founded in 1996, DeCode focuses its business on finding links between the human genome and disease susceptibility. The acquisition is expected to close before the end of 2012 and does not require regulatory approval.

EUGENE, Ore. — The American Heart Association has joined a group of patient and provider organizations promoting safe use of a commonly used class of painkillers.

The AHA announced that it had joined the Alliance for the Rational Use of NSAIDs, which refers to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, a class that includes the common drug ibuprofen. Other members include the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

 ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported that the national incidence of influenza-like illness dropped below the national baseline of 2.2% to 1.9% and is lower than reported during the previous week. "This fluctuation may be attributed in part to a reduced number of routine health visits during the Thanksgiving holidays, as has been observed in previous seasons," the agency speculated. 

NEW YORK — A Congressional committee is looking into allegations that a compounding pharmacy industry association may have taught pharmacists how to sidestep requests for samples from the Food and Drug Administration, according to published reports.

Reuters reported that the House Energy and Commerce Committee had requested internal documents from the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, citing a news report about the organization.

DALLAS — AffordRx.com is making a prescription discount card that offers savings of up to 75% at more than 56,000 pharmacies across the country available to all residents of the United States, the company said.

The company said the cards would be available without restrictions on membership and that there were no income requirements, age limitations or applications.

"We are excited to launch this program, potentially saving Americans millions of dollars on their prescription medication," AffordRx spokesman Dylan Marc said.

BOSTON — The state health department in Massachusetts has made changes to the state's pharmacy board and leveled sanctions against three pharmacies in the wake of a nationwide meningitis outbreak traced to a compounding pharmacy in the state, the department said.