Specialty Pharmacy

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals' single-pill antiretroviral for HIV-1 patients, BI said Tuesday.

The FDA approved Viramune XR (nevirapine), a single-pill, once-daily, extended-release formulation of nevirapine for use in combination with other antiretroviral drugs.

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — A drug used to treat pain in cancer patients now is available in the United States.

ProStrakan Group announced Monday the launch of Abstral (fentanyl) sublingual tablets. The tablets, which disintegrate rapidly and are placed under the tongue, treat breakthrough pain, common in one-half to two-thirds of people with cancer-related pain.

The drug, an opioid and controlled substance, only is available through a Food and Drug Administration-mandated REMS program. The FDA approved the drug in January.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Usually, when the Food and Drug Administration approves a commercial version of a drug, it prohibits compounding pharmacies from producing it, but it’s making an exception in the case of a drug used to prevent premature births.

FRISCO, Texas — Specialty pharmacy group Assured Pharmacy said that same-store sales for January totaled $1.42 million, a 28.5% increase over the year-ago period.

Compared with December 2010 sales, however, January same-store sales decreased 5.6% from sales of about $1.5 million. The revenue drop, Assured said, was due to "seasonality," noting that many patients experienced insurance carrier and coverage changes.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Canadian drug maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals has proposed to buy Cephalon for $5.7 billion, Valeant said Tuesday.

The buyout offer, equal to $73 per share, includes a 29% premium over Cephalon’s stock price. Valeant noted it had made previous offers, but was “disappointed by Cephalon’s unwillingness to engage in discussions in a timely manner.”

RALEIGH, N.C. — A specialty infusion pharmacy has joined the social media realm.

MedPro Rx's president, Nancy McFarlane, said that the company has launched a Facebook page, which will share MedPro Rx’s news, updates, blog posts and photos with its community. Additionally, the page will expand the company's online presence and customer service focus for clients, healthcare consumers, providers and third-party payers, McFarlane said.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy has promoted its supervisor of Rx coordinators.

Amanda Brown, who joined the company in 2003, now will serve as director of Rx coordinators. In this role, she will manage and train BioPlus' sales team, but also will be involved in building business relationships with prescribers, achieving territorial goals and maximizing potential revenue for BioPlus.

NEW YORK — For many patients, the inability to pay for drugs is enough of a problem, but what if the drugs they need aren’t available at all?

According to a new report by the Premier Healthcare Alliance, more than 240 drugs were hard to find or entirely unavailable, while more than 400 generic versions of branded drugs were backordered for more than five days. Premier said shortages had more than tripled since 2005, with the frequency and effects rising to critical levels and affecting all segments of health care.