Specialty Pharmacy

NEW YORK — Thousands of patients in Los Angeles with serious, chronic diseases could soon find themselves unable to get their drugs from community pharmacies, advocates for the pharmacies said.

JERUSALEM — Xenon Pharmaceuticals is licensing an experimental pain drug to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in a deal worth up to $376 million, not including royalties, the companies said.

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. — A national group representing state boards of pharmacy has announced its support for efforts to strengthen regulations on compounding pharmacies.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy said Wednesday that it would implement a four-part action plan centered around inspection of compounding pharmacies and sharing data from the inspections among boards of pharmacies around the country.

EXTON, Pa. — Drug maker ViroPharma has launched an education campaign focused on a rare, debilitating and life-threatening genetic disorder.

The company announced Wednesday the launch of the unbranded campaign focused on hereditary angioedema, particularly the emotional and psychological burden faced by patients with the disease, which results from deficiency of the human plasma protein C1 inhibitor and causes attacks of swelling and pain.

HARTFORD, Conn. — Aetna and Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions on Tuesday announced an evidence-based program designed to improve cancer care in Michigan. This pathways initiative identifies clinical practices that improve cancer treatment and make it more affordable.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new use for a cancer drug made by Johnson & Johnson, the agency said Monday.

The FDA announced the approval of Zytiga (abiraterone acetate), made by J&J subsidiary Janssen Biotech, for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, for use prior to receiving chemotherapy. The drug was already approved for castration-resistant prostate cancer in men who had already undergone chemotherapy treatment.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Amgen is buying an Iceland-based biotech company for $415 million, the two said Monday.

Amgen announced it would acquire DeCode Genetics, based in Reykjavik, Iceland, in a deal that Amgen's board of directors unanimously approved. Founded in 1996, DeCode focuses its business on finding links between the human genome and disease susceptibility. The acquisition is expected to close before the end of 2012 and does not require regulatory approval.

NEW YORK — A Congressional committee is looking into allegations that a compounding pharmacy industry association may have taught pharmacists how to sidestep requests for samples from the Food and Drug Administration, according to published reports.

Reuters reported that the House Energy and Commerce Committee had requested internal documents from the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, citing a news report about the organization.