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 SWIFTWATER, Pa. — Sanofi Pasteur is bringing its Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour to Seattle Monday as part of its cross-country efforts to raise awareness about the seriousness of influenza and the various vaccine options that are available for adults 18 through 64 years old this flu season.

In an effort to help improve flu immunization rates, Sanofi Pasteur's Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour will visit the Kirkland Walgreens for a flu clinic event. 

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Savient Pharmaceuticals has appointed a new finance chief.

John Hamill will serve as Savient's SVP and CFO, where he will be responsible for all financial and accounting functions of the company. Hamill, who brings more 25 years of global financial and administrative operational experience to his new role, will directly report to Savient president and CEO Lou Ferrari. Prior to joining the drug maker, Hamill served as CFO of PharmaNet Development Group, a leading global supplier of drug development services.

STAMFORD, Conn. — Pharmacy staff, law enforcement officials and loss-prevention personnel can follow updates about pharmacy robberies, burglaries and potential threats in their area through Twitter updates by a drug maker that developed a program to combat pharmacy crime.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration is creating a new task force to support the development of new drugs for bacterial infections, the agency said Monday.

The FDA said the Antibacterial Drug Development Task Force would assist in developing and revising guidance related to development of antibiotics, as required by the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now Title of the FDA Safety and Innovation Act, which president Barack Obama signed into law on July 9.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for treating a complication of a disease that results from vein blockages in the eye.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced the approval of Eylea (aflibercept) for treating macular edema following central retinal vein occlusion, or CRVO. Eylea already was approved for treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration, another eye disease.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new usage for an Amgen drug, the drug maker said.

The biotech manufacturer announced the FDA approval of Prolia (denosumab) to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fracture. The drug already was approved for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

NEW YORK — French drug maker Sanofi announced a deal with the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development to develop drugs for tuberculosis.

The drug maker and the TB Alliance said the deal will include discovery and development of new drug compounds for the disease, which caused almost 1.5 million deaths globally and affected nearly 9 million in 2010, according to the World Health Organization.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Acton Pharmaceuticals for asthma, the company said Thursday.

The drug maker announced the approval of Aerospan (flunisolide HFA) inhalation aerosol as a maintenance treatment for asthma in patients aged 6 and older. The drug maker plans to launch the drug in early 2013.