Generics

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Actavis will acquire Warner Chilcott for $8.5 billion, the drug maker said Monday.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan has launched a generic drug for treating cholesterol, the company said Friday.

Mylan announced the launch of fenofibrate tablets in the 48 mg and 145 mg strengths. The drug is used to reduce so-called "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B while increasing "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults with primary hyperocholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Hospira has reappointed its chief scientific officer after he briefly left the country earlier this year, the generic drug maker said.

Sumant Ramachandra has been reappointed to the position, effective Friday, and will be in charge of the company's research and development, regulatory and medical affairs.

ARLINGTON, Va. — A federal drug track-and-trace bill has made it out of a congressional committee.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to approve H.R. 1919, the Safeguarding America's Pharmaceuticals Act of 2013, sponsored by Reps. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and Jim Matheson, D-Utah.

PITTSBURGH — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic migraine drug made by Mylan, the company said Wednesday.

Mylan announced the approval of zolmitriptan tablets in the 2.5 mg and 5 mg strengths. The drug maker plans to launch the product immediately.

The drug is a generic version of IPR Pharmaceuticals' Zomig and is used for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. Various versions of the drug had sales of $152.8 million during the 12-month period that ended in March, according to IMS Health.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Actavis is continuing to pursue a plan to buy Irish drug maker Warner Chilcott, as the U.S.-based company announced Tuesday its total number of shares and share-purchase options in order to comply with Ireland's merger-and-acquisition rules.

Actavis listed about 133.3 million ordinary shares, 1.5 billion restricted shares and 1.26 options to purchase ordinary shares.

WASHINGTON — Finals can be a stressful time for any college or graduate student, with many hours spent studying and few spent socializing or relaxing. But many students are using prescription drugs to get through finals, according to a new study.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A study conducted by researchers at CVS Caremark and Brigham and Women's Hospital and published in the May issue of the American Heart Journal found that non-white patients had 50% greater odds of statin medication nonadherence compared with white patients, while women had 10% greater odds of statin nonadherence compared with men.