Regulatory and Washington

NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new means of administration for a multiple sclerosis drug, the manufacturers said.

Pfizer and EMD Serono announced the approval of Rebif Rebidose (interferon beta-1a), a single-use auto-injector for self-administering Rebif, used to treat relapsing forms of MS. EMD Serono is the U.S. division of German drug maker Merck KGaA, so-named to avoid confusion with U.S.-based Merck & Co.

WASHINGTON — Several retailers got top scores from a gay-rights organization for their efforts to prevent discrimination against and to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

The Human Rights Campaign released its 2013 Corporate Equality Index, which gives companies ratings of up to 100% based on their policies regarding LGBT employees and also released a buyer's guide for LGBT consumers.

WASHINGTON — New legislation aims to increase access to telemedicine services through government-sponsored health programs.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., recently introduced H.R. 6719, the Telehealth Promotion Act of 2012, which would establish that "no [medical] benefit covered shall be excluded solely because it is furnished via a telecommunications system," allowing greater access to telemedicine services through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, Tricare, Department of Veterans Affairs and federal employee health plans.

AUSTIN, Minn. — Hormel Foods announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Skippy peanut butter business from Unilever United States, of Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals in the United States and other jurisdictions.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The March of Dimes is launching a campaign to encourage expectant mothers to take folic acid to prevent birth defects, the group said Friday.

The group announced national Folic Acid Awareness Week, reminding pregnant women to take vitamin B. The vitamin is known to prevent birth defects like spina bifida and anencephaly, collectively known as neural tube defects. NTDs occur in the first few weeks following conception, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic drug for heavy menstrual bleeding made by Watson Pharmaceuticals, the drug maker said Thursday.

Watson announced the approval of tranexamic acid tablets through a subsidiary and plans to ship it immediately. The drug is a generic version of Ferring Pharmaceuticals' Lysteda.

Ferring has filed suit against Watson, alleging that the generic drug infringes two of its patents. Lysteda had sales of about $25 million during the 12-month period that ended in November, according to IMS Health.

WASHINGTON — A court has ruled in favor of Indian generic drug maker Ranbaxy Labs in a case concerning a generic blood pressure drug, the legal firm representing the drug maker said.

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP said the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia upheld a Food and Drug Administration decision protecting Ranbaxy's market exclusivity for a generic version of Novartis' drug Diovan (valsartan).

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Thursday kicked off a year-long celebration in honor of the association’s 40th anniversary. Created in 1973 by three companies and a single staffer, CRN is today recognized by many, both inside and outside the industry, as the leading trade association representing more than 100 dietary supplement manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and companies that supply services for the supplement industry.