Disease Management

NEW YORK — Two patients in Boston whom researchers had thought were cured of HIV have experienced a relapse of the infection, according to published reports.

The New York Daily News reported that the two men, who were believed cured after receiving bone marrow transplants for lymphoma, had the virus return.

INDIANAPOLIS — Lilly Diabetes and Walgreens on Monday launched an awareness campaign at 43 Walgreens pharmacies throughout the Indianapolis area on the consequences of hypoglycemia.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has appointed Kevin Murphy president for Accordant Health Services, a CVS Caremark company that provides disease management and case management services for people with rare chronic conditions.

Murphy is in charge of integrating the company's leading rare disease management programs with its specialty pharmacy programs and new focus on medical pharmacy management.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and BERLIN — Regeneron and Bayer HealthCare have initiated 1-of-2 late-stage clinical trials of their aflibercept ophthalmic solution in the treatment of a complication caused by diabetic retinopathy.

The drug makers said that it would evaluate the efficacy of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept ophthalmic solution) in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, a prevalent cause of vision loss among diabetes patients, after promising results from its previous clinical trial.

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — USA Drug grew up in Arkansas, home turf of Walmart. But to characterize the 140-unit drug store operator as David to Walmart’s Goliath doesn’t do justice to this feisty retail innovator, which wields plenty of clout across the nation’s midsection, under a variety of store banners.


BURLINGTON, Mass. — Biotech drugs will help drive the markets for acute and chronic gout through 2019, according to a new report by market research firm Decision Resources.

The report, titled “Acute and Chronic Gout — New Agents Target Refractory Patients and Tap Market Opportunity,” found that the acute gout drug market would triple in size to $117 million, while the chronic gout market would reach $1.83 billion.

PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Business Group on Health’s LivingMyLife program, which helps diabetes patients with disease management through the use of “coach pharmacists,” will soon do the same for those with other diseases, according to published reports.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Friday that LivingMyLife also would help patients with asthma and heart disease. The program, which began in 2006, allows patients to manage their disease with visits to pharmacies, mostly Giant Eagle, Kmart and some independents.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Rounding out its Kerr Health management team, Kerr Drug has gone beyond its own deep bench of retail-oriented players.

(THE NEWS: Domann named Kerr Health's VP sales and business. For the full story, click here)