Generics

JERUSALEM — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries anticipates that it could lose about $500 million in sales next year if a generic version of its multiple sclerosis drug hits the market, the Israeli drug maker said Tuesday.

DUBLIN, Ohio and WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark and Cardinal Health announced on Tuesday the signing of an agreement to form the largest generic sourcing entity in the United States.

Both companies are contributing their sourcing and supply chain expertise to this 50/50 joint venture and are committing to source generic drugs through it. The companies separately announced a three-year extension through June 2019 of Cardinal Health's existing pharmaceutical distribution agreements with CVS Caremark.

BETHESDA, Md. — Only a quarter of respondents to a new survey would call a doctor for advice when someone at home has the flu, despite widespread recognition of it as serious and of the need for vaccination.

The study, conducted by the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases, found that 93% of adults understand the flu is serious, while 87% understand it's highly contagious, and 66% understand the need for vaccination. The study included a national survey of 1,000 adults and surveys of 500 adults in 10 states, collected between Aug. 6 and Aug. 28.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — More than 11 million Americans had vacation plans disrupted by the flu in 2012, according to Walgreens' recent Impact Survey, the company announced Tuesday.   

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration's Office of Generic Drugs will be elevated to a "super office," a top official in the agency told staff members in a memo Monday.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A survey of more than 1,000 independent pharmacists finds that acquisition costs for generic drugs have spiked by as much as 1,000% this year.

HAWTHORNE, N.Y. — Taro Pharmaceutical Industries plans to repurchase up to $200 million of its own shares, the Israeli generic drug maker said.

Taro announced a tender offer to repurchase the shares for between $84.50 and $97.50 each, with the total amount representing 4.6% to 5.3% of its outstanding shares.

The offer expires on Dec. 23, the company said.

NORTH WALES, Pa. — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' U.S. subsidiary has launched a generic drug for treating warts and skin lesions, the company said.

Teva Pharmaceuticals announced the launch and availability of imiquimod cream, a generic version of Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp.'s Aldara.

The drug is used to treat external genital and rectal warts, certain types of actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma. Various versions of the drug had sales of about $244 million in 2011, according to IMS Health.