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NEW YORK — In line with American Heart Month, Boehringer Ingelheim's Micardis has introduced a cardiovascular risk-reduction calculator, designed to assess patients' cardiovascular risk.

The calculator, which can be accessed at MicardisPro.com, is an interactive, useful tool for healthcare professionals to assist patients in reaching their cardiovascular risk-reduction goal, the company said.

Micardis (telmisartan) is a drug designed to treat hypertension.

CINCINNATI — Prasco Labs will distribute an authorized generic version of an ulcerative colitis treatment made by Shire in the event that any other company steps forward to file an abbreviated new drug application for the drug.

ATHENS, Ga. — A drug used to treat high cholesterol, which will lose patent protection and face generic competition starting this year, also may help prevent blindness in people with diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the University of Georgia.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a treatment for a rare bleeding disorder.

The FDA announced the approval of Corifact, used to prevent bleeding in people with the genetic disorder congenital Factor XIII deficiency, which affects 1-in-3 million to 5 million people in the United States.

The drug is manufactured by Marburg, Germany-based CSL Behring.

A whole slew of drugs will lose patent protection this year, opening up opportunities for generic drug makers to market their own versions. Most notable among these is Pfizer’s cholesterol-
lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin), the world’s top-selling drug, with U.S. sales of $7 billion during the 12 months ended September 2010, according to IMS Health.


SUPPLIER NEWS — Drug maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to certain formulations of a GlaxoSmithKline drug used to treat cold sores. Valeant acquired the rights to nonophthalmic topical formulations of Zovirax (acyclovir) from GSK for $300 million through its Canadian subsidiary, Biovail Labs.



WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s proposed budget for 2012 contains an item that could change the game for biosimilars, according to published reports.

According to the reports, the administration would lower the 12-year data exclusivity period for biotech drugs mandated in the healthcare-reform law to seven years.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a psychiatric drug for treating bipolar disorder when used in combination with one of two other drugs.

The FDA approved Abilify (aripiprazole), made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical, as an adjunct to lithium or valproate for maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder.