Briefs

Acquisition strengthens WHI's Texas presence DEERFIELD, Ill. - In keeping with its ongoing expansion plans, Walgreens Health Initiatives, through Walgreens Home Care, has acquired assets from the owners of Pinnacle Home Care, a home infusion business in San Antonio, Austin and Corpus Christi, Texas. WHI will continue to offer infusion services at these new locations with plans to introduce respiratory services and home medical equipment. The acquisition expands WHI's regional presence in Texas. The company currently operates HME facilities in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin. Liberty Medical expands into renovated Wal-Mart PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Liberty Medical recently completed the transfer of more than 300 employees into its new location in a 120,000-square-foot renovated Wal-Mart. Liberty Medical President Keith Trowbridge said the new facility should reach its capacity of 1,000 employees within 18 months. Liberty purchased the Wal-Mart in January and will spend $8 million to $10 million renovating the building to house a call center and high-volume pharmacy, which will be able to fill 3,500 prescriptions during an eight-hour shift. Liberty Medical moved from Stuart to Port St. Lucie, where it already had two locations, including a high-volume respiratory pharmacy. Duoneb's patent extended 17-years Dey Laboratories in November was granted an unexpected 17-year patent extension for its drug Duoneb. Dey's patent protection for Duoneb was set to expire March 21, 2004, but many industry experts had anticipated a pediatric extension that would have added an additional six months to the March expiration. No one had expected to see a 17- year extension. Dey currently has no plans to change its current marketing strategy for the product, but changes will be considered since generic forms of Duoneb will not be a concern for Dey for 17 years. The new patent expiration for Duoneb is October 26, 2021.