News Briefs

  • 6/15/2022

    Wonderbelly launches natural OTC heartburn medication

    wonderbelly group teaser

    Wonderbelly is looking to change the way people deal with their digestive health by launching its flagship product — Wonderbelly Antacid.

    The better-for-you, over-the-counter heartburn medication is formulated to treat heartburn, acid reflux and acid digestion symptoms, the company said.

    Made with non-GMO and gluten-free ingredients, the antacid does not contain talc, artificial dyes or flavors, common allergens, or artificial sweeteners.

    Inspired by co-founder Lucas Kraft’s journey with an eating disorder and subsequently suffering from long-lasting gut issues, his brother Noah Kraft worked alongside him to create a better, more thoughtful and tastier alternative to other products out on the market, the company said.

    Available in three flavors — Strawberry Milkshake, Citrus Mint and Watermelon Mint — Wonderbelly Antacid comes in plastic-free packaging and retails for $14.99 per bottle. 

  • 6/14/2022

    Coram, CVS Specialty Infusion Services in Albany, N.Y., to close

    CVS exterior

    Coram, CVS Specialty Infusion Services, in Albany, N.Y. is set to close its doors at 12 Jupiter Lane.

    In a notice on June 1, the New York State Department of Labors Office of dislocated workers program stated that the business will be permanently closing its Albany facility, affecting a total of 70 employees.

    Separations will occur during the 14-day period starting on Sept. 4, 2022. The closing date is Sept. 18, 2022, according to the NYS Department of Labor.

    The department cited "economic" as the reason for the closure of the clinic.

    Commenting on the closure, a CVS spokesperson provided the following statement, "As the leading health solutions company, we use our unique combination of assets to lower costs, increase access to care and improve health outcomes. We regularly review operations to focus resources as efficiently as possible and pivot when necessary to invest in healthcare services and solutions that will make the greatest impact. After a recent review, we’ve decided to focus more resources on patients who receive infusion services for specialty medications and limit the delivery of acute infusion services (such as infused antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition)."

    The statement continued, "As a result, we are closing the Coram pharmacy location in Albany, New York. Patient safety and continuity of care remain of utmost importance to us. We have a comprehensive transition plan in place for any patient affected by these changes. A dedicated team will work directly with impacted patients to help them find a new provider and seamlessly transition their care."

    "We will also work to help any impacted colleagues find other suitable roles within Coram or CVS Health and will provide career transition support for those who are not able to do so," CVS Health said. 

    The statement concluded, "The market for infusion services for specialty medications continues to see sustained growth. Coram has been a leading provider of infusion services for specialty medication for over 30 years and is uniquely positioned to continue to meet the needs of this growing market and service our patients in a more targeted, resourced way."

  • 6/14/2022

    Twix previews cookie dough bar

    twix cookie dough

    There’s a brand-new Twix bar hitting shelves this year.

    The Newark, N.J.-based company is showcasing its new cookie dough bar, which features a creamy cookie dough-flavored layer, chocolate cookie bits and a milk chocolate coating.

    Although the bar will officially be available for purchase in December, Twix is giving away 1,000 exclusive first-taste samples to Mars candy fans in celebration of National Cookie Dough Day on June 21.

    “Mars is thrilled to announce Twix cookie dough as our newest flavor innovation,” said Michelle Deignan, Mars Wrigley senior brand director. “Twix cookie dough is the perfect mashup of two fan favorites — our classic Twix bar and the nostalgic flavors of cookie dough — all wrapped into one. We're looking forward to making superfans happy with an exclusive first taste now, in celebration of National Cookie Dough Day, and then to sharing Twix cookie dough with all fans when it hits shelves later this year.”

    In December, Twix’s cookie dough bar will be available in a 1.36-oz. single size bar, 2.27-oz. share bar and minis stand-up pouches.

  • 6/16/2022

    Eli Lilly’s Olumiant receives FDA nod for new indication

    Stamp saying approved

    The Food and Drug Administration has granted Eli Lilly permission for Olumiant (baricitinib) oral tablets to treat adult patients with severe alopecia areata, a disorder that often appears as patchy baldness and affects more than 300,000 people in the United States. each year.

    Today's action marks the first FDA approval of a systemic treatment, which treats the entire body rather than a specific location,) for alopecia areata.

    "Access to safe and effective treatment options is crucial for the significant number of Americans affected by severe alopecia," said Kendall Marcus, director of the division of dermatology and dentistry in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Today's approval will help fulfill a significant unmet need for patients with severe alopecia areata."

    There is a significant unmet medical need for people with alopecia areata given there has never been an FDA-approved medicine," said Patrik Jonsson, Lilly's senior vice president, president of Lilly Immunology and Lilly USA, and chief customer officer. "Our mission is to make life better for people living with debilitating immune-mediated diseases, and we’re delighted about what this medicine, as a first-in-disease treatment, can mean for adults with severe alopecia areata.”  

    Alopecia areata, commonly referred to as just alopecia, is an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles, causing hair to fall out, often in clumps. Olumiant is a Janus kinase inhibitor that blocks the activity of one or more of a specific family of enzymes, interfering with the pathway that leads to inflammation.

    Olumiant was originally approved in 2018 as a treatment for certain adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. Olumiant also is approved for the treatment of COVID-19 in certain hospitalized adults. 

  • 6/13/2022

    Lenny & Larry’s debuts Boss! Immunity Bar

    Lenny &Larry’s the Boss! Immunity Bars

    Lenny & Larry’s has launched a brand new protein bar that contains 18 g of dairy, plant protein and probiotics.

    The Boss! Immunity Bar features crunchy wafer layers woven with a creamy filling and covered in chocolatey goodness, the company said.

    Available in four flavors — peanut butter cup, chocolate mint brownie, caramel macchiato and maple French toast — the non-GMO bars contain probiotic ingredients to help support immune health and protein utilization, as well as 2 g of sugar, and have no artificial flavors or sweeteners.

    Currently, Lenny & Larry’s the Boss! Immunity Bars are available online in a four-count box that retails for $7.99.

     

  • 6/14/2022

    Pharmacy groups dismiss lawsuit after win on DIR

    Colored pills on top of money

    The National Community Pharmacists Association and the American Pharmacists Association  announced today that they have voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit dating back to the previous administration. The two groups were the lead plaintiffs in the federal case against the secretary of Health and Human Services.

    “We’ve been fighting in Congress for years to end retroactive pharmacy DIR fees and lower prescription costs for seniors and protect small business pharmacies. We’ve been working with HHS and CMS for years on a regulatory solution, and more than a year ago we strategically filed a lawsuit in case the other two roads were blocked,” said NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey. “We are cautiously optimistic that the new Part D rule satisfies the goals we had for the lawsuit.”

    We’ll be watching closely to see how the rule is implemented and whether PBMs comply or try to game the system. If they don’t, we reserve the right to return to court,” he said.

    “Shutting down our legal challenge doesn’t end our fight for justice for pharmacies from unfair PBM practices,” said APhA interim executive vice president and CEO Ilisa Bernstein. “We know the final rule benefits patients and increases transparency, but time will tell if it also benefits our nation’s pharmacists.”

    NCPA filed the lawsuit in the closing days of the Trump administration after multiple administrations had failed to address retroactive pharmacy DIR fees. The group was joined shortly thereafter by APhA and several other plaintiffs.

    Pharmacy DIR, which stands for Direct and Indirect Remunerations, is a catchall term used to describe various price concessions required from pharmacies by PBMs in order to participate in the Medicare Part D program. Those concessions have grown by more than 107,000% since 2010, according to CMS, and wind up inflating seniors’ share of their prescription drug costs. They also are assessed retroactively, often months after the transaction, making it impossible for pharmacies to keep up with and predict the cost of these transactions. The litigation took aim at the retroactive nature of these fees, which NCPA and APhA hope will end due to the recent changes in CMS policy.

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