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CHADDS FORD, Pa. — Endo Pharmaceuticals has finished its acquisition of Qualitest Pharmaceuticals for $1.2 billion, Endo said Wednesday.

Endo had agreed to buy Qualitest, a privately owned manufacturer of generic drugs, on Dec. 28.

NEW YORK — Recent public perception that the Food and Drug Administration had not been doing its job — ensuring that Americans' approved medical devices and medicines are relatively safe — may be impeding fast approval processes, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report published Tuesday.

The report, “Improving America’s Health V,” determined that the FDA’s renewed vigor for enforcing regulations may be straining the working relationship between regulator and the industry being regulated.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — The president of drug maker Merck now will fill an additional position at the company: CEO.

Merck's board of directors elected president and board member Kenneth Frazier as the company's next leader, effective Jan. 1. Frazier will succeed Richard Clark, who has served as Merck's CEO since 2005. Clark will continue as chairman of the board, the drug maker said.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens' chief medical officer will discuss the evidence-based medicine design and impact of a diabetes management program delivered by pharmacists at both workplace and community pharmacies during an upcoming conference, the drug store chain said.

ROCKLAND, Mass. — The Food and Drug Administration has extended its review period for a multiple sclerosis drug made by EMD Serono, the drug maker said Friday.

EMD Serono — the U.S. subsidiary of German drug maker Merck KGaA, which uses the name to avoid confusion with U.S.-based Merck — said the FDA had extended the review time for cladribine tablets to Feb. 28. The drug is a disease-modifying drug for relapsing MS.

NEW YORK — A new study published in the Nov. 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine suggested there is a two-way relationship between depression and diabetes.

INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly and Australian drug maker Acrux have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for a testosterone replacement therapy for men, the two companies announced Tuesday.

The FDA approved Axiron (testosterone) topical solution as a treatment for men with various conditions that lead to deficiency of the hormone. The drug, a controlled substance, is designed for application under the arm.

MINNETONKA, Minn. — UnitedHealth Group will start a program next year that it said can reduce drug costs to as low as $2 per script, the company said Tuesday.

The program, Pharmacy Saver, will be available to Medicare Part D members and is a collaboration with Kroger, Safeway and Prescription Solutions. The program will allow members to purchase some scripts for $2 for 30- and some 90-day supplies and applies to hundreds of prescription drugs, including 8-of-the-10 most commonly used by UnitedHealthcare Medicare plan members.