Specialty Pharmacy

HOUSTON — A bill under consideration by the Senate could force more than 40% of compounding pharmacies to abandon compounding, according to a new survey.

WASHINGTON — Next year, 7 million people will be using health insurance marketplaces, and that figure will nearly quadruple in five years, according to a coalition of cancer-focused organizations.

Patient Services Inc., which includes 18 partnering cancer and patient advocacy organizations, announced Wednesday the launch of the Cancer Insurance Checklist, designed to help people with cancer, a history of the disease or those at risk of getting it, choose insurance plans in the state-based health insurance marketplaces, which will open on Oct. 1.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A decision by the Department of Health and Human Services to resolve conflicts that arose when it issued regulations under a law that establishes privacy rules for health information technology has drawn applause from a specialty pharmacy organization.

STAMFORD, Conn. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new dosage strength for a chronic pain patch made by Purdue Pharma, the drug maker said Tuesday.

Purdue announced the approval of the 15-microgram-per-hour strength of Butrans (buprenorphine). The drug is used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain when a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic is needed for an extended period of time. The new strength is in addition to the 5-microgram, 10-microgram and 20-microgram strengths already on the market, and it will be launched next month.

GHENT, Belgium — Belgian drug maker Ablynx is licensing an experimental treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus to U.S. drug maker AbbVie in a deal worth up to $840 million, the companies said.

The two drug makers announced that AbbVie would license the drug ALX-0061 for an upfront payment of $175 million plus milestone payments worth up to $665 million, as well as royalties. The drug belongs to a class known as anti-interleukin-6R nanobodies, which work by targeting an immune-system protein pathway that plays a key role in the inflammation associated with RA.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is applauding the retailers that have joined and returned to its annual campaign to raise money for children's cancer research.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy has several new programs in the works to promote health and wellness among its employees, the company said.

Diplomat announced a new fitness center at its headquarters that will include stationary bikes, strength-training machines, ellipticals, medicine balls, an exercise video center and a Wii system.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Generic drug maker Hospira has appointed Matt Stober as its SVP operations, the company said.

Stober, who began working for Hospira in 2011 as corporate VP U.S. pharmacy operations, will have expanded leadership over all the company's drug manufacturing, as well as manufacturing science and technology, engineering, competitive strategy, health and safety, supply chain and procurement. Stober succeeds John Elliot, who has led operations since April 2012 and will provide continuity of support until he retires at the end of the year.