IdeaSphere

Drug Store News, Dec 15, 2003 by Michael Johnsen

Schering-Plough received Food and Drug Administration approval Nov. 19 to market Claritin for relief from hives. Accordingly, the company in February will begin shipping Claritin Hives Relief tablets, the first and only FDA-approved, non-drowsy anti-histamine to offer OTC itch relief to adults who suffer from hives, according to the company.

Health care officials often recommend Pfizer's Benadryl as an off-label indication to relieve hives.

Following its acquisition of Rexall Sundown, NBTY has created an umbrella sales division called U.S. Nutrition that will oversee all of the company's retail supplement offerings. Headed by Rich Scoza, senior rice president of sales, the group will represent about 1,500 offerings under the Nature's Bounty, Vitamin World, MET-Rx and Osteo Bi-Flex brands.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved the sale of substantially all of Twinlab's assets to Grand Rapids, Mich.-based IdeaSphere in late October.

The speculation is that IdeaSphere will utilize the Twinlab acquisition as a launch pad for Tony Robbins-branded products. Robbins, a well-known motivational guru, is an IdeaSphere principle.