News Briefs

A new flavor has joined Hostess Cr!spy Minis line of bite-sized snacks.

The new addition is mint chocolate, which combines mint and cocoa to create a creamy texture, the Lenexa, Kan.-based company said.

“Consumers are increasingly craving multitextured snacks, and this trend was central to the original launch of our Cr!spy Minis,” said Christopher Balach, general manager of Hostess Brands. “We’re excited to add another delicious flavor to this creamy-crunchy lineup of unique and innovative snacks.”

Featuring two layers of a creamy refreshing mint filling between crisp wafers topped with a chocolate-flavored layer, the Cr!spy Minis are made with real mint and cocoa and are free of high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors and flavors, the company said.

Available in a resealable 7.3-oz. package, Hostess Cr!spy Minis in mint chocolate retails for $3.49 and can be found at retailers nationwide.

There’s a new player introducing products in the generics market.

Long Grove Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2019 by strategic healthcare investor Water Street Healthcare Partners, announced that it will begin shipping its first products in mid-2022.

Long Grove bills itself as a company that "specializes in generic development opportunities with complex formulations, challenging manufacturing and supply chain dynamics, and unique regulatory approval pathways.”

The company shared that it is spearheaded by a multifunctional team of leaders with more than 100 years of collective pharmaceutical experience. “Together, they are pursuing partnership and product development initiatives focused on bringing long-awaited products to market across the hospital pharmacy, retail, clinic and alternative site channels,” the company said.

“The depth of our team’s expertise provides us with a specialized understanding of how to rapidly scale complex formulations and bring to market products known for having high barriers to entry,” said CEO Dan Robins. “We are deeply committed to leveraging our knowledge and network to cultivate needed solutions across the generics market that will improve customer choice and increase patient access.”

Long Grove Pharmaceuticals said that it employs the ANDA regulatory pathway to enable more rapid product approvals. It also develops proprietary products through the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. The company utilizes a variety of established manufacturers in North America, Western Europe and Asia.

The company also said it expects to innovate across the generic injectables, dermatological and topical markets.

Cardinal Health is welcoming a new executive. Megan Maltenfort is joining the company as vice president of environmental, social and governance.

“We are pleased to welcome Megan to the Cardinal Health family,” said Jessica Mayer, chief legal and compliance officer.  “With her deep expertise in sustainability, Megan will be a strong partner in helping guide our enterprise sustainability strategy while also engaging with employees and external stakeholders on initiatives and opportunities.”

"As a global company, we know that the long-term health of our employees, customers, partners and communities depends on a healthier, more sustainable and equitable world … and that ESG priorities are more critical than ever to our shared future," Cardinal Health said.

“I am excited to join the Cardinal Health team,” Maltenfort said. “I look forward to partnering with employees across Cardinal Health and furthering the company’s efforts in caring for our people, our communities and our planet.”

Maltenfort brings a wealth of experience from her 15-year career in sustainability. Most recently, she served as director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Campbell Soup, where she led the co-creation of Campbell’s enterprise-wide ESG strategy; external corporate responsibility reporting; stakeholder management with investors, NGOs and customers; and more.

Prior to Campbell Soup, she first became familiar with Cardinal Health during her time with VWR International, which at the time was a distributor of laboratory supplies, and which since has been acquired by Avantor. Here she built a leading ESG program from the bottom up, helped develop a first-of-its-kind lab product recycling program and used sustainability as a competitive advantage to position VWR as a partner of choice among its customers, Cardinal Health said.

The Food and Drug Administration has given Lupin permission for desvenlafaxine extended-release tablets, in a dosage strength of 25 mg.

The product, a generic of Pfizer's Pristiq is used for the treatment of major depressive disorder in adults, and will be manufactured at Lupin’s facility in Goa, India.

Desvenlafaxine ER tablets have a market value of roughly $14 million, according to IQVIA December 2021 data.

The FDA also gave Lupin a tentative nod for tenofovir alafenamide tablets, 25 mg.

The medication, a generic of Gilead’s Vemlidy, is used to treat chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B virus in adults with stable (compensated) liver disease, and will be manufactured at Lupin’s Nagpur facility in India.

Alafenamide tablets have a market value of roughly $484.2 million, according to December 2021 IQVIA data.

Pop-Tarts is giving into ’90s nostalgia by bringing back a classic flavor from the past.

The Battle Creek, Mich.-based company announced that its frosted grape flavor is making a comeback this spring.

“At Pop-Tarts, we know what our fans want. Frosted Grape has been among the top flavors fans have been asking us to bring back,” said Heidi Ray, senior director of marketing, portable wholesome snacks. “So, we could not be more stoked to finally bring back this Pop-Tarts G.O.A.T. – Grape-ist Of All Time.”

Featuring the classic grape jelly filling, white icing and purple crunch-lets, the frosted grape Pop-Tarts will be available at retailers nationwide beginning in May in an eight-count box that retails for $3.19.

Martha Stewart CBD has expanded its portfolio of Tropical Medley CBD Wellness Gummies. According to the brand, the new product offering features three flavors inspired by the lush fruits of tropical destinations: Alphonso mango, coconut and pineapple.

The latest flavors, previewed by Martha Stewart at a Palm Beach, Fla. event in February, will transport consumers to sunny destinations, offering a new addition to the brand’s lineup of convenient and trusted flexible wellness solutions, the company said.

“My favorite tropical fruits, Alphonso mango, coconut and pineapple, were the inspiration for this new offering,” Stewart said. “Now, our loyal customers can take a moment to prioritize their well-being and relax their mind through the lush flavors of the tropics. It’s always a pleasure to create new products that make wellness more accessible, convenient and delicious.”

Each gourmet gummy features texture and 100% hemp-derived CBD isolate, and the gummies are part of Stewart’s continued partnership with Canopy Growth, a diversified cannabis and cannabinoid-based consumer product company.

Martha Stewart CBD Tropical Medley Wellness Gummies are available in the following at marthastewartcbd.com:

• 30-count offering ($34.99);
• 10-count offering ($12.99) in April; and
• 3-count offering ($3.99) in April.

“The new Tropical Medley CBD Wellness Gummies feature three delicious flavors and are made with Canopy Growth’s high-quality, U.S.-grown CBD isolate, which is the purest and most potent form of CBD, offering consumers the consistent and great-tasting experience they’ve come to love from Martha Stewart CBD,” said Tara Rozalowsky, interim chief product officer at Canopy Growth. “As we gear up for spring break season, we can’t wait for consumers to kick off getting into a tropical mindset with these new flavors inspired by their favorite sunny destinations.”