New Products

PRINCETON, N.J. — Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca will buy Omthera Pharmaceuticals for $323 million, the two companies said Tuesday.

Omthera, based in Princeton, N.J., develops drugs for dyslipidemia, conditions that result in abnormal levels of lipids in the blood. Its lead products include Epanova, an experimental drug for patients with high triglycerides that's based on omega-3 fatty acids; Omthera has finished late-stage clinical trials of the drug and plans to file for Food and Drug Administration approval in mid-2013.

LOS ANGELES — Kathy Ireland, CEO and chief designer of Kathy Ireland Worldwide and women’s health advocate, is collaborating with board-certified surgeon Dr. David Scharp in bringing to the beauty market a stem cell-derived product brand called Stemáge.

They note that the unique aspect of the natural skin rejuvenation system is that it targets visible signs of aging through the proprietary use of human Mesenchymal stem cell derivatives, not stem cells but rather active ingredients or derivatives of which stem cells are comprised.

WASHINGTON — More than half of all healthcare providers who are eligible have received Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for electronic health records, the Department of Health and Human Services said.

HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the department had exceeded its goal for 50% of doctor offices and 80% of hospitals to have EHRs by the end of the year. By contrast, the percentage of physicians using EHRs in 2008 was 17%. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contained incentive programs for adoption of EHRs that went into effect in 2011.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Johnson & Johnson expects to file for Food and Drug Administration approval of more than 10 new drugs over the next four years, the drug maker said Thursday.

J&J's Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. highlighted its more than 11 new product launches since 2009 and said it hoped to file with the FDA for more than two-dozen "significant" extensions to its branded drug lines by 2017.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic heart-disease drug made by Sandoz, the company said Wednesday.

Sandoz, the generics division of Swiss drug maker Novartis, announced the approval of candesartan cilexetil tablets, a generic version of AstraZeneca's Atacand.

The drug is used to treat some types of heart failure in adults with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, as well as high blood pressure in adults and children as young as 1.

Atacand had sales of $120.3 million in 2012, according to IMS Health.

MIAMI — Rayito De Sol, a sun care brand in Latin America, is now available in the United States and can be found at Ulta Beauty Stores.


Rolling out globally, Rayito De Sol is currently sold in 15 countries, including Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador and Paraguay, with more to come. Based in Argentina, this family-owned business has been operating for more than 90 years.

YARDLEY, Pa. — PetArmor is introducing two new products to retail shelves the company states will provide a "1-2-3 punch" to keep pets pest-free.

FastAct Flea and Tick Shampoo and Spray can be used to provide both immediate relief and long-term prevention of flea and tick infestations, FidoPharm, a science-based pet health company and makers of PetArmor, said.

The "1-2-3 punch" is a three-step process when pet owners first see the signs of fleas or ticks: