Specialty Pharmacy

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Genentech for treating a rare and severe form of arthritis that affects children, Genentech said.

The biotech company, the U.S. division of Swiss drug maker Roche, announced the FDA approval of Actemra (tocilizumab) for active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. SJIA has the worst long-term prognosis of all varieties of childhood arthritis.

At the upcoming 2011 Armada Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas, Amber Pharmacy president Mike Agostino — recently appointed to the Board of Advisors of Specialty Pharmacy — will give a presentation focused on the specialty pharmacy marketplace and the importance of customers. Specialty Pharmacy had the chance to talk with Agostino about the contents of his presentation and his new role.

Specialty Pharmacy: What will be the topic of your presentation at Armada?

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Despite a difficult economy and rising health costs, the benefits of an integrated pharmacy service were evident as CVS Caremark helped its pharmacy benefit manager clients — employers, health plans and third-party administrators — manage pharmacy costs, according to the company's annual "Insights Report."

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has unveiled a new medical benefit drug management service for its pharmacy benefit manager and specialty pharmacy clients.

NEW YORK — A Food and Drug Administration expert panel has given a favorable vote to a drug made by Pfizer for tumors, Pfizer said Tuesday.

The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 8-2 that Sutent’s (sunitinib malate) benefits outweigh its risks in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

While the FDA is not bound by advisory committee votes, it takes them into consideration when deciding whether or not to approve a drug.

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. — The Food and Drug Administration has accepted a regulatory approval application for a topical treatment for low testosterone made by Teva Pharmaceuticals and BioSante Pharmaceuticals, BioSante said Wednesday.

The two companies said the FDA had accepted their application for Bio-T-Gel and expected to complete its review by mid-November.

FRAZER, Pa. — Cephalon has lodged a bidder’s statement to acquire Australian drug maker ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals for $167 million, Cephalon said Wednesday.

Cephalon, which said its offer of 70 Australian cents per share represented a premium of nearly 60% over ChemGenex’s stock price as of March 29, said the Australian company’s directors had unanimously recommended approval of the acquisition. ChemGenex specializes in developing treatments for cancer.