HEALTH

WARSAW, Poland — Iceland-based drug maker Actavis and Poland-based Bioton have formed a partnership that they said would "shake up" the diabetes market.

Actavis and Bioton announced the signing of a $73.3 million deal to develop, manufacture and commercialize insulin products, including insulin analogues. Of that, Actavis will pay $29.4 million to Bioton when the deal is signed, while the rest will consist of milestone payments.

PITTSBURGH — GNC raised nearly $2.8 million during its seventh annual fundraising campaign designed to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Through the Thanks and Giving campaign, GNC raised 40% more over the amount raised in 2010 for a total of $2.79 million, the retailer said. The program raises awareness and funds for the lifesaving research and treatment done at St. Jude to help children fighting cancer and other deadly diseases.

ATLANTA — Joseph Enterprises is looking to find a home for its ubiquitous Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia slogan among dietary supplement aisles with the presentation of the company's Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Omega-3 in both seeds and softgel formats in 2012, according to company officials presenting at the ECRM Vitamin, Diet & Sports Nutrition EPPS conference here earlier this month.

SAN DIEGO — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a long-acting injected diabetes drug made by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Alkermes, the two companies said.

The FDA approved Bydureon (exenatide), which the companies called the first once-weekly treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The drug will become available in February.

WASHINGTON — Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency may be even more common than previously thought and a risk factor for more than just bone diseases, according to new research published Friday in the American Chemical Society journal Analytical Chemistry.

ATLANTA — Toronto-based Jamieson Labs will be attempting to parlay its dietary supplement success in the Canadian marketplace — the Jamieson brand was the No. 1 branded supplement in Canada across nine categories through December, the company reported — into the U.S. market, according to Jamieson executives presenting at the ECRM Vitamin, Diet & Sports Nutrition EPPS conference here earlier this month.

CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble on Monday announced a partnership between its Metamucil brand and the syndicated "The Dr. Oz Show" to help raise awareness around fiber supplementation during Heart Health Month in February.

Fans of the show can enter a sweepstakes at DoctorOz.com/heart2heart for a trip to New York along with two tickets to "The Dr. Oz Show," that includes meeting Dr. Oz. The sweepstakes will be open Jan. 27 through May 7.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A bottle designed to decrease colic symptoms among babies has entered the market.

Mam's anticolic bottle, which features a patented base, is designed to reduce the stress associated with newborn feedings and decreases colic symptoms in babies by 80%, the company said. What's more, the product also features nipple designs that eases the switch between breast-feeding and bottle feeding.