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SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new drug that treats delusions and hallucinations that are associated with psychosis affecting patients with Parkinson’s disease. 

 

Nuplazid (pimavanserin), from Acadia Pharmaceuticals, is the first medication to be approved to treat Parkinson’s-related psychosis, which affects some 40% of the 4-6 million patients with Parkinson’s disease. The drug was granted breakthrough therapy designation and a priority review by the FDA. 

DUBLIN — Allergan on Monday announced the launch of its “Liletta Access on the Front Line” initiative, which is aimed at allowing active duty and retired military members better access to long-acting reversible contraception. 

 

DEERFIELD, Ill. - With flu activity winding down in the U.S., Walgreens on Friday announced the top markets and states for flu activity for the season, according to its season-ending Walgreens Flu Index examining aggregate prescription data from Nov. 2015 through mid-April 2016.

 

The states with the highest rates of influenza, according to the Index, were Arizona, Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

 

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Takeda Pharmaceuticals on Thursday announced that it would be expanding its Help At Hand patient assistance program for patients in the United States. 

 

The expansion will allow patients whose income is at 400% of the federal poverty level to apply for discounted or no-cost medicine under the program, which currently includes 11 of the company’s drugs. Under the expansion, a family of four whose household income is about $100,000 is now eligible for the prescription drug program. 

 

 

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Teva’s ProAir RespiClick (albuterol sulfate) inhalation powder to treat or prevent bronchospasm in children aged 4 to 11 years. The drug had previously been approved for the same indication in patients older than 12. 

 

The drug is the only breath-activated multi-dose short-acting beta agonist, inhaler in the U.S., Teva said. 

 

NORTH CHICAGO — Biopharmaceutical company AbbVie on Thursday announced its planned acquisition of Stemcentrx and its late-stage potential treatment for small cell lung cancer, Rova-T (rovalpituzumab tesirine). 

 

BALTIMORE — Lupin on Thursday announced that it would be re-introducing its Methergine (methylergonovine maleate) tablets. The drug is indicated to manage uterine atony, hemorrhage and subinvolution of the uterus following delivery of the placenta, and for control of uterine hemorrhage in the second stage of labor. It's also the preferred treatment for postpartum hemorrhage, according to American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines. 

 

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved Exelixis’ Cabometyx (cabozantinib) tablets, the company announced this week. Cabometyx is indicated to treat patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have previously received anti-angiogenic treatment.