Generics

CHICAGO — According to a report published Monday by JAMA Pediatrics, cost-related barriers to care among children with asthma are concentrated among low-income families with higher cost-sharing levels.

SAN FRANCISCO — Practice Fusion on Wednesday launched its real-time healthcare database, Insight. With Insight, physicians, researchers and analysts can access analysis sourced from a de-identified subset of more than 81 million patient records. Insight users can explore health and pharmaceutical market trends, including diagnoses across patient populations, all in real-time.

Offered free of charge, Insight is designed to provide a full perspective across the healthcare spectrum, from diagnosis to treatment, that can identify new research opportunities and market trends.

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. — Abbott on Friday announced a definitive agreement to acquire Latin American pharmaceutical company CFR Pharmaceuticals, more than doubling its Latin American branded generics pharmaceutical presence the company reported. 

DUBLIN — Actavis has reached an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals to continue supplying the authorized generic version of Janssen's Concerta (methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets), the company announced.

Under the terms of the agreement, Janssen Pharmaceuticals will continue to manufacture and supply Actavis with all dosage strengths of the generic drug, and Actavis will continue to market and distribute the drug in the United States. This agreement runs until Dec. 31, 2017.

WASHINGTON — Teva Pharmaceutical on Wednesday was denied in its suit to block approval of Mylan's and Sandoz' generic Copaxone, a multiple sclerosis drug, 10 days before the patent on the medication expires, according to a Bloomberg report published Thursday morning. 

The court ruled that the suit had been filed prematurely and could be refiled at a later date, according to the report. 

PEAPACK, N.J. — Greenstone, a U.S.-based generic pharmaceutical subsidiary of Pfizer, announced the introduction of rifabutin capsules to its product line. The capsules are offered in the dosage strength of 150-mg x 100.

The drug is the authorized generic version of Mycobutin and is used for the prevention of disseminated mycobacterium avium complex disease in patients with advanced HIV infection.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday released guidance advising practitioners to offer an HIV prevention pill to healthy individuals who are at high-risk for an HIV infection, according to published reports. 

The guidelines, issued in conjunction with the U.S. Public Health Service, involve the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis, a strategy in which at-risk individuals take a daily dose of an antiretroviral drug to reduce their risk of HIV infection.

WASHINGTON — The Generic Pharmaceutical Association lobbied for greater access to generics at this week’s meeting of the chief negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the association announced Wednesday.