Specialty Pharmacy

SAN DIEGO — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy has signed an agreement with a provider of acquisition and management services for oral cancer drugs that the companies said would allow for better access to the drugs and related programs.

RainTree Oncology Services announced the agreement with Flint, Mich.-based Diplomat, saying it was building a network of community oncologists through which members will obtain drugs at contracted prices and that the agreement would improve access to clinical and medication management programs.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — New legislation proposed in the Senate would strengthen penalties against people who traffic in counterfeit medications.

Introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., S. 1886, the Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011, would harshen laws against producing, buying or selling counterfeit drugs. The bill has received support from the chain retail pharmacy lobby.

NEW YORK — A Food and Drug Administration panel of 13 advisers has voted in favor of a drug made by Pfizer for treating kidney cancer, the drug maker said Wednesday.

Pfizer announced that the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted unanimously to state that axitinib's benefits outweighed its risks in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma for whom first-line treatments had failed.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Prescribers, patients and specialty care centers no longer will be required to enroll in safety monitoring programs for two drugs used to treat low platelet counts, following changes to their risk evaluation and mitigation strategies.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy has appointed a new regional director.

The company said that Shelley Moore will be responsible for business development in Tennessee. Moore, a registered nurse, brings six years of nursing experience, along with a career specialty in bleeding disorders, to her position at BioPlus.

HOBOKEN, N.J. — A drug for treating immune system disorders is available again following a voluntary market withdrawal last summer.

Octapharma USA said Wednesday that Octagam (immune globulin intravenous [human] 5% liquid preparation) again was available for purchase. The Food and Drug Administration approved its reintroduction on Nov. 3.

NEW YORK — Pfizer completed its acquisition of a drug maker that focuses on the development of skin scarring treatments.

Pfizer said its acquisition of Excaliard Pharmaceuticals will allow the company to develop "new and innovative treatments to address unmet medical needs," noting that there currently is no excessive skin scarring treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has announced the appointment of Randy Falkenrath as SVP specialty pharmacy, with responsibility for the ongoing development of clinical programs and product management to support the company's specialty pharmacy business.