McKesson has signed an agreement in principle to extend its partnership with CVS Health to distribute pharmaceuticals to mail order, specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacies and distribution centers through June 2027.

“We are pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with CVS Health and value the shared commitment of improving health outcomes for all patients,” said Brian Tyler, CEO of McKesson. “We are privileged to extend our partnership of more than 20 years to continue developing value propositions for patients utilizing our diverse set of differentiated assets and capabilities.”

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Amylyx Pharmaceuticals’ Relyvrio (sodium phenylbutyrate/taurursodiol) to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.

"This approval provides another important treatment option for ALS, a life-threatening disease that currently has no cure," said Billy Dunn, director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "The FDA remains committed to facilitating the development of additional ALS treatments."

ALS is a progressive disease that continues to get worse over time, attacking and killing the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles. Voluntary muscles produce movements such as chewing, walking, breathing and talking. In addition, the disease also causes the nerves to lose the ability to activate specific muscles, which causes the muscles to become weak and leads to paralysis.

Most cases will result in death from respiratory failure, usually within three to five years from when the symptoms first appear. Approximately 5,000 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with ALS annually, and approximately 20,000 Americans are currently living with the disease, the company said. 

Sustainable consumer products company Grove Collaborative is making its products even more accessible via a partnership with CVS Pharmacy.

The company announced that its core line of products, including an assortment of zero plastic waste cleaner concentrates, dish soaps and dishwasher detergent packs, are now available online and at more than 2,000 CVS Pharmacy stores. This builds on its recent expansion into Kohl’s, Meijer and Giant Eagle, the brand said.

“By growing our distribution, we’re making it easier for consumers to shop for planet-friendly, high-performing products that do not rely on plastic packaging,” said Stuart Landesberg, co-founder and CEO of Grove Collaborative. “Across the country, as consumers continue to see environmental crises manifest, consumers want zero plastic and sustainable products everywhere. Our latest retail expansion is a testament to our ongoing growth as an omnichannel company, and it is an important milestone for Grove as we continue on our path to transform the consumer products industry into a positive force for human and environmental good.”

J.M. Smucker is expanding its Uncrustables line with a brand-new option that is ideal for school lunches.

“Smucker’s Uncrustables have become a fan favorite,” said Chris Achenbach, director of brand strategy at J.M. Smucker. “Kids and parents love the fun flavors that began with PB&J. To offer an even wider variety, we have now added tasty, wholesome meat and cheese bites that are perfect for the lunchbox.”

The new meat and cheese bites are a no-mess, no-prep handheld sandwich that is filled with quality meat and cheese in soft bread, the iconic food brand said.

Available in two varieties — uncured ham and cheddar as well as turkey and Colby jack — each will come in a product package at retailers in early October.

The National Community Pharmacists Association is recommending to its members Prescryptive’s state-of-the-art myRx AI Pricing system, which NCPA said can make independent pharmacies immediately more competitive by giving them access to cash pricing optimization driven by artificial intelligence.

“As the voice of the community pharmacist, we know that helping our pharmacists compete in the digital age is imperative,” said Douglas Hoey, CEO of NCPA. “By utilizing this technology, our NCPA member pharmacies can utilize cutting-edge technology to stay competitive while also continuing to do what they do best: take care of their patients.”

[Read more: NCPA survey: Three-quarters of community pharmacies report staff shortages]

“Prescryptive is proud to bring pharmacists this technology,” said Chris Blackley, CEO of Prescryptive Health. “We are empowering these entrepreneurial business owners and critical healthcare providers with accurate, timely pricing services to help them position themselves for the future while offering competitive pricing that’s fair to their customers.”

Prescryptive’s AI-optimized pricing engine, myRx AI Pricing, offers a robust solution for pharmacies and cash-paying healthcare consumers. A team of Prescryptive data scientists uses its artificial intelligence platform to analyze pharmacy pricing data, looking for opportunities based on pharmacy location, the drug itself and more. Pharmacists receive enhanced analytics and current actionable insights, creating a competitive system for cash pricing based on Prescryptive’s predictive model that consistently adjusts prices based on evolving analytics.

NCPA noted that with increasing usage of high-deductible health plans, more customers are paying cash at the pharmacy counter, and community pharmacists need a solution beyond most traditional cash discount cards operated by third parties that often drive higher prices for consumers and financial losses to the pharmacy.

[Read more: 2022 Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition finalists announced]

The myRx AI Pricing forward-looking solution assures that pharmacies can leverage the power of AI optimization, offering transparency into opaque drug pricing and a capability that balances sustainability for the pharmacy with savings for cash-paying healthcare consumers, according to Prescryptive Health.

Charlotte’s Web Holdings announced plans to unveil a product line catering to the sports vertical. The products are currently undergoing the sport certification process with third-party organization, NSF.

The company said its tinctures and gummies have been used by elite and everyday athletes since its founding, and it was named the official CBD partner of Angel City Football Club, marking the company’s first partnership with a sports team.

“Focus, recovery and sleep are critical areas of optimization for athletes that our sports products can support,” said Jacques Tortoroli, CEO of Charlotte’s Web. “An NSF Certified for Sport line can assure sports leagues and their players that ingredients are safe and certifies that there are no banned substances. We believe our products, upon meeting NSF certification, will make a positive impact on the lives of professional, amateur athletes and fans alike.”

Charlotte’s Web NSF Certified for Sport THC-Free products will include tinctures, topicals, gummies and more. The first products planned for launch are an NSF-certified tincture and gummy followed by a sport portfolio planned for release in the first half of 2023.

Each product in the Charlotte’s Web Sports portfolio pipeline will undergo NSF’s certification for sport to meet the content quality, transparency and safety requirements of many leagues, teams and players, the company said. NSF Certified for Sport products must have less than 9 mcg of THC per serving. With the majority of Charlotte’s Web’s current product portfolio containing full-spectrum products, the broad-spectrum sports portfolio will target a different consumer segment than most of its current product lines.

Charlotte’s Web said the final NSF Certified for Sport product certification process is currently underway.