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EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A former Johnson & Johnson executive has been appointed to serve as interim CEO for Savient Pharmaceuticals.

Savient's board of directors appointed David Norton to serve as interim CEO, succeeding current CEO John Johnson, who is leaving the company to become president, CEO and chairman-elect of biotechnology company Denderon. Savient's board said it will conduct a search process for a permanent CEO.

Norton, who is a member of Savient's board, formerly served as J&J company group chairman of global pharmaceuticals.

CHICHESTER, England — Self-monitoring blood glucose levels in Type 2 diabetics not on an insulin regimen may contribute little to managing the disease, according to an analysis published online last month by The Cochran Library.

NEW YORK — A possible pill mix-up has prompted Pfizer to recall more than two dozen lots of a prescription contraceptive drug, the drug maker said.

Pfizer announced the voluntary nationwide recall of 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) tablets and 14 additional lots of the drug's generic version. Pfizer manufactured and packaged the drugs, while Akrimax Pharmaceuticals commercialized them, and they were sold under the Akrimax brand.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A goal to standardize risk evaluation and mitigation strategies and modernize the U.S. drug safety system in a proposed reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act has drawn support from the country's main chain retail pharmacy lobby.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores submitted written testimony Tuesday ahead of a congressional hearing on the reauthorization of PDUFA, originally enacted in 1992.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for Type 2 diabetes made by Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim, the drug makers said.

The FDA approved Jentadueto (linagliptin and metformin) tablets, designed to be taken twice daily. The approval marks the second since the two companies announced their collaboration to develop diabetes drugs in January 2011; the first drug approved under the Lilly-BI partnership was Tradjenta (linagliptin), approved in May 2011.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Valeant Pharmaceuticals said it would not move forward in its pursuit of Ista Pharmaceuticals due to lack of progress.

The drug maker said it withdrew the acquisition offer of Ista, valued at $7.50 per share in cash. Valeant previously said that the offer would remain open until Jan. 31.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Watson Pharmaceuticals is planning to open a global research and development technology center.

The center will be a 32,000-sq.-ft., 50-acre complex consisting of lab, production and office space. The drug maker said it primarily will be used for developing generic pharmaceutical products, in particular for inhalation technology and respiratory products, with the ability to conduct formulation development and analytical testing.

SAN DIEGO — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a long-acting injected diabetes drug made by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Alkermes, the two companies said.

The FDA approved Bydureon (exenatide), which the companies called the first once-weekly treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The drug will become available in February.