HEALTH

BOSTON — Private equity firm Palladin Consumer Retail Partners on Thursday announced the acquisition of KT Health, a producer of kinesiology tape and related sports medicine products in the retail market. KT Tape, the company’s flagship product, is used by professional and recreational athletes to prevent injury, reduce pain, promote recovery and maximize comfort.  

MINNEAPOLIS — People with higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil also may have larger brain volumes in old age equivalent to preserving one to two years of brain health, according to a study published in the Jan. 22 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. 

Shrinking brain volume is a sign of Alzheimer's disease as well as normal aging.

BOSTON — Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts General Hospital have demonstrated that aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of vestibular schwannomas, also known as acoustic neuromas, a sometimes lethal intracranial tumor that typically causes hearing loss and tinnitus.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan on Thursday announced that its subsidiary has launched repaglinide tablets, a generic version of Novo Nordisk's Prandin. The drug is used to improve glycemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Repaglinide tablets in 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg had sales in the United States of approximately $212.95 million for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2013, according to IMS Health.

TAMPA, Fla. — Condom Depot on Wednesday released the list of the World's Best Condoms Awards, naming Okamoto's Crown Skinless Skin the No. 1 ranked condom. Okamoto has retained this distinction for 13 years running.  

Rankings No. 2 through 10 included: 

NEW YORK — Match.com and Pfizer on Wednesday announced results from a recent survey showing that single smokers may want to consider breaking up with their cigarettes as they look for that special someone this year. Nearly 9-in-10 (89%) respondents said they prefer not to date someone who smokes, and when asked which actions were unacceptable on a first date, more said taking a smoke break (51%) than checking one’s phone (45%) or being late (40%).

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. — SheaMoisture, a personal care brand, has released two new products formulated especially for babies and children with allergies and skin sensitivities.

BOSTON — For patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis, low levels of vitamin D were found to strongly predict disease severity and hasten its progression, according to a new study led by the Harvard School of Public Health investigators in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare. The findings suggest that patients in the early stages of MS could stave off disease symptoms by increasing their vitamin D intake.