Prescription Drug News and Research

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First Edition: August 5, 2011

In the news today... The cost of premiums for Medicare's prescription drug program won't rise in 2012. Meanwhile, Medicare data reveal a gap in hospital performance and perception.

5 Aug 2011

Health Affairs report describes ground-breaking effort that aims to prevent opioid abuse

Fatal overdoses involving prescribed opioids tripled in the United States between 1999 and 2006, climbing to almost 14,000 deaths annually-more than cocaine and heroin overdoses combined. Hospitalizations and emergency room visits related to prescription opioid pain medicines such as oxycodone and hydrocodone also increased dramatically in the same period.

5 Aug 2011

Health Net second quarter total revenues decrease 19.2% to $2.8 billion

Health Net, Inc. today announced 2011 second quarter GAAP net income of $58.3 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, compared with $45.1 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2010.

4 Aug 2011

SXC second quarter revenue increases 153% to $1.2 billion

SXC Health Solutions Corp., a leading provider of technology and pharmacy benefit management services, announces its financial results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011.

4 Aug 2011

Columbia Laboratories second quarter total net revenues increase to $19.2 million

Columbia Laboratories, Inc. today reported financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011.

4 Aug 2011

U.S. PTO to reissue two patents for Dey Pharma's Perforomist Inhalation Solution

Dey Pharma L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc., today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office intends to reissue both of the patents related to Perforomist Inhalation Solution 20 mcg/2mL vial that had been placed into reexamination by Sepracor, now known as Sunovion Pharmaceuticals.

4 Aug 2011

SXC enters definitive agreement to acquire PTRx

SXC Health Solutions Corp. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire PTRx, Inc., a full-service PBM, and SaveDirectRx, Inc., its exclusive mail-order pharmacy provider, both based in San Antonio.

3 Aug 2011

FDA accepts MAP Pharmaceuticals' LEVADEX NDA for filing

MAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its New Drug Application (NDA) for LEVADEX® orally inhaled migraine drug for the potential acute treatment of migraine in adults has been accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a goal date of March 26, 2012 under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA).

2 Aug 2011

SXC to launch enhanced Coordination of Benefits service in the state Medicaid market

SXC Health Solutions Corp., a leading provider of technology and pharmacy benefit management services, is launching the industry's first automated, enhanced Coordination of Benefits service in the State Fee-For-Service Medicaid market.

1 Aug 2011

AHRQ: Average annual prescription drug expenses for children with asthma have doubled

The percentage of American children treated for asthma increased while their annual drug expenses more than doubled over a 10-year period, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

30 Jul 2011

Research roundup: Avoiding readmissions; the future of ACOs

Every week, Kaiser Health News reporter Shefali S. Kulkarni compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.

30 Jul 2011

Pew director issues statement on Prescription Drug User Fee Act hearing

Allan Coukell, director of medical programs for the Pew Health Group, issued the following statement today on a U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee hearing, "FDA User Fees: Advancing Public Health."

29 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Pessimism on partisan debt dealings; supporting community clinics; 'mystery shopper' should go forward

FDR began the entitlement era with the New Deal and Social Security, but for decades it remained relatively limited. … That changed in the mid-1960s with LBJ's Great Society and the dawn of the health-care state. Medicare and Medicaid were launched in 1965 with fairy tale estimates of future costs. Medicare, the program for the elderly, was supposed to cost $12 billion by 1990 but instead spent $110 billion.

29 Jul 2011

Amylin, Lilly and Alkermes submit reply to FDA complete response letter for BYDUREON

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company and Alkermes, Inc. today announced that the companies have submitted their reply to a complete response letter issued in October 2010 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding BYDUREON™ (exenatide extended-release for injectable suspension), an investigational medication for type 2 diabetes.

28 Jul 2011

Medicare Part D ups patient compliance, reduces hospital costs

The findings, which were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggested that for seniors, access to affordable prescription drugs would reduce their need for emergency and short-term nursing care.

28 Jul 2011

PCMA President releases statement on new Medicare Part D study

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt released the following statement today on a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found "implementation of Medicare Part D was followed by a significant reductions in nondrug medical spending, particularly on acute and post acute care, for elderly Medicare beneficiaries with limited prior drug coverage".

28 Jul 2011

Dr. Reddy's, FUJIFILM sign MoU to enter partnership in the generic drugs business

FUJIFILM Corporation President and CEO, Shigetaka Komori and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. Vice-Chairman and CEO, G V Prasad today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enter into an exclusive partnership in the generic drugs business for the Japanese market and to establish a joint venture in Japan.

28 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Chambliss on reviving Gang of Six proposal; WSJ on Medicare Part D; Friedman on 'doing this right'

I joined five other senators to identify the difficult issues and make the hard, necessary decisions to address the twin challenges of our deficit and debt. ... Among other provisions, our proposal reduces the debt by $3.7 trillion over the next 10 years, stabilizes our publicly held debt by 2014, and imposes tough and honest budget enforcement.

28 Jul 2011

Britain’s prescription drug use statistics revealed

According to latest NHS figures number of prescriptions dispensed has soared by 70 per cent over the last decade. Every man, woman and child in the country received on average 17.8 prescription items in 2010. The vast majority went to those aged over 60, who received 42.4 items each in 2007.

27 Jul 2011

Surge of generics will trigger drop in drug prices

In the next 14 months, seven of the world's 20 best-selling drugs are scheduled to go "off patent." As they do, the brand-name drugs will lose out to generic versions, cutting costs for patients and companies that provide health benefits.

27 Jul 2011

Prescription Drug News and Research

First Edition: August 5, 2011

Health Affairs report describes ground-breaking effort that aims to prevent opioid abuse

Health Net second quarter total revenues decrease 19.2% to $2.8 billion

SXC second quarter revenue increases 153% to $1.2 billion

Columbia Laboratories second quarter total net revenues increase to $19.2 million

U.S. PTO to reissue two patents for Dey Pharma's Perforomist Inhalation Solution

SXC enters definitive agreement to acquire PTRx

FDA accepts MAP Pharmaceuticals' LEVADEX NDA for filing

SXC to launch enhanced Coordination of Benefits service in the state Medicaid market

AHRQ: Average annual prescription drug expenses for children with asthma have doubled

Research roundup: Avoiding readmissions; the future of ACOs

Pew director issues statement on Prescription Drug User Fee Act hearing

Viewpoints: Pessimism on partisan debt dealings; supporting community clinics; 'mystery shopper' should go forward

Amylin, Lilly and Alkermes submit reply to FDA complete response letter for BYDUREON

Medicare Part D ups patient compliance, reduces hospital costs

PCMA President releases statement on new Medicare Part D study

Dr. Reddy's, FUJIFILM sign MoU to enter partnership in the generic drugs business

Viewpoints: Chambliss on reviving Gang of Six proposal; WSJ on Medicare Part D; Friedman on 'doing this right'

Britain’s prescription drug use statistics revealed

Surge of generics will trigger drop in drug prices

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Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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