HEALTH

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Watson Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday announced the sale of its Rugby over-the-counter business to the Harvard Drug Group — a distributor and provider of private-label OTCs and generic prescription products under the Major Pharmaceuticals brand — for approximately $117 million.  

"I am confident that Major, with its leadership position as a marketer of OTC products, will be more strategically positioned to maximize the value of the long-known and respected Rugby name," stated Paul Bisaro, president and CEO of Watson.

NORTH LIMA, Ohio — Perfecta Products on Wednesday announced expansion of its Zim's Maximum Heat external analgesic.

Maximum Heat is indicated for the temporary relief of muscle, back, shoulder and neck pain. It is the sister product of Perfecta's Zim's Max-Freeze. Zim's Maximum Heat is formulated with aloe, arnica, vitamin E and tea tree oil.

Both the 2.5-oz. Zim's Maximum Heat Roll-On and 3.5-oz. tube of Zim's Maximum Heat retail for a suggested $10.49.

PALATINE, Ill. — Acura Pharmaceuticals in December will launch an immediate-release pseudoephedrine tablet under the brand name Nexafed that will help impede conversion of the tablets into methamphetamine. Couched as the "next generation pseudoephedrine product," Nexafed is a 30-mg PSE hydrochloride tablet that utilizes Acura's trademarked Impede technology. 

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — ProPhase Labs on Monday again rejected an acquisition proposal from Matrixx Initiatives. Matrixx's latest offer was to acquire ProPhase for $1.60 per share in cash, up from a prior $1.40 per share proposal. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — In honor of National Diabetes Month in November, CVS/pharmacy is looking to further meet the healthcare needs of those people living with diabetes by expanding its ExtraCare Advantage for Diabetes program with new support and savings.

 SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced a pair of penal actions against companies operating outside of dietary supplement regulations. 

A federal judge granted the FDA a permanent injunction against Truman Berst, doing business as Alternative Health & Herbs Remedies of Albany, Ore., for selling products represented as herbs and supplements with claims for treating diseases.

 BASEL, Switzerland — Progress at re-opening its manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Neb., has been slow-going, Novartis reported Thursday, but the company has contracted third-party manufacturers to resume production of Excedrin, Lamisil and Triaminic. First shipments to retailers were made in October. 

NEW YORK — The owner of an independent pharmacy in New York has won a national award for his diabetes education and counseling efforts.

Ronald Del Gaudio, a graduate of Long Island University's College of Pharmacy, also known as LIU Pharmacy, and the owner of Kings Pharmacy in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, has won the Health Mart Diabetes Care Excellence Award from the independent pharmacy franchise company, the university said. Kings Pharmacy, a member of Health Mart, includes two pharmacies in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan.