HEALTH

LAKE ZURICH, Ill. and LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Fresenius Kabi will acquire Akorn, manufacturer and marketer of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, for approximately $4.3 billion, or $34 a share, plus the assumption of approximately $450 million of debt. The transaction is expected to close by early 2018 and to be accretive in 2018 to Fresenius Group net income and EPS, excluding integration costs.

Freshly prepared foods, nutritional drinks/supplements, cosmetics and frozen foods are the best opportunities for drug store retailers looking to cash in on customer impulse purchases at brick-and-mortar locations. For example, consumers are 9.4% more likely to purchase frozen foods on impulse in stores compared with online, Nielsen revealed in its inaugural “Understanding Today’s Omnishopper” report released last month.

NEW YORK — CVS Health on April 19 officially debuted a new store design to enhance the retail customer experience with a new assortment of healthier food, health-focused products and expanded beauty selections, paired with informational signage throughout the store to help customers discover new offerings. 

The company’s front of store today will clearly not be its front of store tomorrow. According to CVS, combined with its innovative digital programs, these changes represent the “next evolution of the customer experience at CVS Pharmacy.”

DENVER — MusclePharm announced Thursday that it has reformulated and relaunched its popular Re-Con product. The new and improved Re-Con is available as part of the company's Sports Series.

AUSTIN, Texas — According to National Sleep Foundation, the most recent findings from its Sleep Health Index found that more than four in 10 Americans reported that their daily activities were significantly impacted by poor or insufficient sleep at least once during the past seven days. Adequate sleep improves memory, strengthens the ability to focus and learn, increases productivity, reduces hunger and boosts the immune system.

DEERFIELD, Ill. and SOLON, Ohio — ECRM on Thursday announced that it would be teaming up with Walgreens Boots Alliance on a one-day Supplier Diversity Summit. The summit will be held on July 19 in Chicago, when the retailer’s category managers will meet with diverse-owned suppliers in the health-and-wellness, beauty and personal care, competitive convenience and OTC/advanced care categories.

The event is part of Walgreens’ efforts to partner with and promote diverse and small business suppliers to grow their enterprises.

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. —  Pharmavite recently launched its new skin moisture supplement line Glow by Nature Made, a product formulated to help support skin hydration and moisturization from within and help with skin suppleness, firmness and smoothness for adults with dry skin.

BALTIMORE — Vizuri Consumer Healthcare on Tuesday launched PainBloc24, a 24-hour over-the-counter topical pain reliever for arthritis joint pain. PainBloc24 has been clinically shown to help relieve pain with as little as one application per day, the company stated.