Generics

NEW YORK — Patent settlements between brand and generic drug makers commonly referred to as "pay-for-delay" settlements are not necessarily against the law, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer will open two new stores in northern Indiana, the mass merchandise retailer said Wednesday.

Meijer said the stores, in Portage and Warsaw, Ind., would open on Thursday. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based chain currently operates 32 stores around the state and more than 200 throughout the Midwest. The company said the stores would feature the chain's free prescription program, whereby it gives select drugs for free to customers with valid prescriptions, including generic versions of the cholesterol drug Lipitor (atorvastatin).

NEW YORK — Pfizer will receive more than $2 billion from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries to settle a case concerning a gastroesophageal reflux disease drug.

NEW YORK — Google has removed advertisements for websites that sell drugs without prescriptions, following a series of warning letters from a state attorney general, according to published reports.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday reached an agreement settling DEA concerns relating to the distribution and dispensing of controlled substances. The company released the following statement from Kermit Crawford, president of pharmacy, health and wellness:

PHILADELPHIA — The Annals of Internal Medicine on Tuesday published a study comparing generic utilization of common diabetes medications across two government programs — Medicare Part D and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Medicare's use of brand-name medicines was two to three times greater than the VA.

According to the study, the disparity comes out of Medicare's reliance on private plans with distinct formularies, whereas the VA administers its own benefit using a national formulary.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Aceto Corp. will sell an authorized generic version of a drug used to treat a rare but devastating degenerative disorder.

Aceto said it would launch the authorized generic version of Covis Pharma's Rilutek (riluzole) tablets in the 50-mg strength through its Rising Pharmaceuticals subsidiary. The drug is used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Sales of the drug were about $64 million in 2012, according to Aceto.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Actavis is hoping to become the first to market generic versions of a contraceptive and a sedative, the drug maker said.