Content about Exclusive News Alert

December 21, 2012
Returning ESI patients, strong start to loyalty program has WAG executives bullish for 2013

Though total same-store sales were down 8%, Walgreens Friday morning characterized a first quarter lifted by a steady influx of returning Express Scripts patients and driven by a steady stream of new Balance Rewards members.

December 20, 2012
Rite Aid reports nearly $62 million profit

Rite Aid beat analyst expectations in third quarter 2013 as the generic wave and retention of Express Scripts customers helped drive better-than-expected adjusted EBIDTA and produced the company's first profitable quarter in five years.

December 10, 2012
CDC: Influenza-like illness rates dips below national baseline

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported that the national incidence of influenza-like illness dropped below the national baseline of 2.2%.

December 5, 2012
Misfit Wearables launches next-generation Shine activity tracker

Misfit Wearables is teeing up a revolutionary activity tracking device — the Misfit Shine — that's constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum, is waterproof and is able to wirelessly sync activity data to a smartphone without the need for a Bluetooth connection.

December 4, 2012
CDC: Influenza season officially underway

The influenza season is officially underway as flu incidence is already above the national threshold, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters during a teleconference Monday.

December 4, 2012
Westport Pharmaceuticals launches Zephrex-D, a tamper-resistant PSE formulation

Westport Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday launched Zephrex-D, a tamper-resistant pseudoephedrine-based decongestant that is now available in retail stores throughout the St. Louis region and the state of Missouri.

November 29, 2012
Kroger 3Q earnings don't disappoint as food retailer posts 36th consecutive same-store sales growth

Kroger remained one of the few outperforming supermarket operators Thursday morning as the grocer exceeded analyst consensus adjusted earnings per diluted share by 3 cents with 46 cents per share.

November 20, 2012
Fred's looks to grow through Diplomat Specialty partnership and Drug and Dollar concept pharmacy

Any trickle-down of an improving economy hasn't trickled down to Fred's consumer base, Bruce Efird, Fred's CEO, told analysts Tuesday morning in discussing the discounter's third-quarter results.

November 20, 2012
Hebron USA launches Brazilian probiotic into U.S. market

Hebron USA on Monday announced the launch of the Florax DS, a line of ready-to-drink probiotics that doesn't require refrigeration.

November 16, 2012
GNC product partner and AquaHydrate board member Mark Wahlberg heralds new sports drink distribution

In the wake of a summer rebranding campaign aimed at active, health-conscious consumers, AquaHydrate on Thursday announced expansion of its distribution through GNC.

November 16, 2012
New stomach remedy Di-Gel to provide New York Black Friday shoppers much needed relief

Di-Gel Products on Friday announced a "Di-Gel Comfort Zone" with complementary, clean restrooms will be established in downtown Manhattan the day after Thanksgiving to help alleviate some of the discomfort from Thanksgiving meals the day before and the long retail lines associated with Black Friday.

November 16, 2012
Reckitt Benckiser ups the ante for Schiff business with a 23.5% premium to Bayer buyout offer

The battle for Schiff Nutrition is on. Reckitt Benckiser on Friday commenced its previously announced tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Schiff Nutrition — a provider of branded vitamins, nutrition supplements and nutrition bars in the United States and elsewhere — for $42 per share in cash, or approximately $1.4 billion.

November 15, 2012
FDA panel advises against Merck's Oxytrol patch Rx-to-OTC switch application

The Food and Drug Administration's Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee on Friday voted against Merck's application to switch its Oxytrol patch from prescription-only to over the counter, citing concerns over use of therapy for an overactive bladder in women without a doctor's intervention.

November 13, 2012
Shoppers Drug Mart waives seniors' co-pays in Ontario, realizes 6% lift in prescriptions filled

Waiving $2 co-pays in Ontario is a big piece of the reason behind a 6% lift in prescriptions dispensed for the third quarter through Oct. 6, Shoppers Drug Mart reported Tuesday afternoon.

November 9, 2012
Survey: Allergy sufferers at the workplace seek relief on the go

A recent WorkPlace Media survey of working consumers found that 3-out-of-4 workers impacted by allergies purchase an allergy-relieving product when symptoms appear, because the normal pattern when allergy symptoms strike is to keep working versus going home sick.

November 8, 2012
Acura Pharmaceuticals moves forward with plans to launch diversion-hindering PSE product

Acura Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday shared with analysts details on its launch strategy of Nexafed, a pseudoephedrine formulated such that in inhibits the diversion to methamphetamnine.

November 8, 2012
Perrigo chief: Store brands big driver behind OTC growth, prepping launch of Mucinex equivalent

Business for OTC store brands is expected to boom in the coming year, Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa told analysts discussing the private-label manufacturer's first quarter results during a conference call Wednesday, even as the growth rate across the entire OTC category slows.

November 7, 2012
Absorption Pharmaceuticals launches men's intimacy health solution

Absorption Pharmaceuticals recently launched Promescent, an over-the-counter lidocaine-based spray indicated for premature ejaculation.

October 31, 2012
Bayer boosts One-A-Day supplement portfolio with Schiff acquisition to the tune of $1.2 billion

Bayer HealthCare on Tuesday signed a merger agreement to acquire Schiff Nutrition International, and with that, prominent supplement brands Digestive Advantage, MegaRed, Move Free and Airborne.

October 31, 2012
Walgreens, Alliance Boots form new jointly owned company: Walgreens Boots Alliance Development

Walgreens on Tuesday announced that it has formally set up a new company, jointly owned with Alliance Boots, as part of their strategic partnership’s synergy program.

October 31, 2012
Wall Street: Hurricane Sandy may have whipped up front-end sales prior to coming ashore

Hurricane Sandy may have shut down lower Manhattan for a few days, but research analyst Ed Kelly of Credit Suisse was bullish on how the storm system may have whipped up front-end sales for pharmacy operators.

October 26, 2012
Novartis outsources production to bring back top-selling OTC brands to market

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.

October 18, 2012
Supervalu announces slowdown of price position overhaul as buyout speculation populates newswires

While Supervalu has completed its overhaul of its value proposition across its Jewel-Osco banner, the grocer will be analyzing the impact before replicating the price repositioning across its entire chain.

October 17, 2012
Kroger looking to expand its footprint into new markets, both physical and digital

Over the course of a day-long investor conference Tuesday, Kroger outlined its future growth strategy.

October 12, 2012
Are the final chapters of the age of big-box retailing upon us?

DSN noted that 2012 would be the year more big-box retailers committed to “going small” and, while we may hate to toot our own horn, we are going to do it anyway.

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