Branded

DUBLIN — Actavis will lay off more than 30% of the sales staff from its branded-drugs division as part of its acquisition of Warner Chilcott, the drug maker said.

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Use of injectable drugs for multiple sclerosis declined during the 12-month period that ended on June 30 as orally administered drugs for the condition became more popular, according to a new report.

NEW YORK — Global spending on drugs will pass the $1 trillion mark next year, according to a new study by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, a division of healthcare market analysis firm IMS Health.

NEW YORK — A bill that would implement federal tracking and tracing of drugs and strengthen federal regulations on pharmacy compounding has passed in the Senate and will go to President Barack Obama for his signature.

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. – Drug maker Upsher-Smith Labs will present data from a late-stage trial of a drug for treating epilepsy, the company said Monday.

LAVAL, Quebec — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for fungal infections of the skin made by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, the drug maker said Friday.

The company announced the FDA approval of Luzu (luliconazole) cream in the 1% strength for treatment of athlete's foot, jock itch and ringworm in adults.

LONDON — An experimental human papillomavirus vaccine made by Merck could offer a boost to the vaccine market, but the company will have to use effective marketing efforts to ensure uptake, according to a new study.

The London-based research and consulting firm GlobalData said Merck's V503 vaccine, currently in phase-3 clinical trials, had strong potential because it protects against five HPV types not covered by current vaccines and demonstrates 97% efficacy against precancerous lesions caused by the additional virus types it contains.

WASHINGTON — A Food and Drug Administration expert panel has voted to recommend approval for a drug to treat a circadian rhythm disorder that affects most people with total blindness.