Branded

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Pharmacy on Thursday announced that it had added a new drug to the roster of its oncology treatments. The specialty pharmacy chain will be dispensing Novartis’ Rydapyt (midostaurin), a treatment for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia that is positive for an FLT3 mutation detected by a test approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer on Thursday opened new supercenters in Escanaba and Sault Ste.

SEATTLE — A Wall Street analyst believes the potential for Amazon’s entry into the pharmacy business would not be “market disruptive.” These are the words of Mizuho Securities analyst Ann Hynes.

According to Barron’s, a major reason for this line of thinking is that ordering drugs by mail is not a new innovation. “CVS and Walgreens have been in this business for years and have relationships with drug companies and insurers that give them an early advantage,” the newspaper wrote.

NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration is reorganizing its field team within the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs with a new focus on specific product areas vs. oversight of activities based on geographic regions, Bloomberg reported Monday.

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday expanded the approved use of Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Kalydeco (ivacaftor) for treating cystic fibrosis. According to the FDA, the approval triples the number of rare gene mutations that the drug can now treat, expanding the indication from the treatment of 10 mutations, to 33, adding it based its decision, in part, on the results of laboratory testing, which it used in conjunction with evidence from earlier human clinical trials.

NEW YORK — Amazon.com may be on the cusp of entering the pharmaceutical dispensing business, according to a report published by CNBC Tuesday. The company reportedly has hired a general manager whose role is said to be helping the online retailer explore how to hang a pharmacy shingle.

NEW YORK — High-deductible insurance plans, changes to “your formulary,” and a few “extremely high-priced drugs” are the main culprits behind increasing drug prices, according to Consumer Reports data released Tuesday.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. will announce plans to launch or file for regulatory approval more than 10 new products with “blockbuster potential” between 2017 and 2021, as well as 50-plus line extensions of new medicines, senior executives said Wednesday during an industry analysts meeting.

Among the late-stage blockbusters projected to file for regulatory approvals between 2017 and 2021, include: