Zentiva has signed its first acquisition after it was carved out from Sanofi last year to become an independent company, entering into a shared purchase agreement with Siyiara to acquire Romania-based food supplement and OTC medicines producer Solacium.

P&G, Church & Dwight and Clorox executives say firms are looking to add brands to portfolios. P&G's developing assets through a brand creation project; C&D seeks top brands, largely in non-US markets; and Clorox looks for opportunities in select ‘spaces’ in US health, wellness and personal care.

Moberg had been expanding its OTC topical and nutritional supplement portfolio while also continuing trials for Rx ingredients including its MOB-015 formulation of terbinafine indicated for fingernail and toenail fungus. But $155m agreement with two investment groups will complete Moberg's divestment of consumer health brands and make it dedicated to R&D, regulatory matters and business development.

Peru's Ran Forest launches in US; Rebbl Collective takes on climate change, human trafficking; Napa Hills sparkles with resveratrol; more Forslean in Le-Vel's Thrive DFL; LeanLife expands testing pact with Ecovatec; and PureFormulas deploys Linc Global e-commerce tech.

While Rx drug pricing is under attack by Congress, White House and consumer and public health advocacy groups, OTC drugs' value isn't gaining a higher profile. "Our health care system undervalues the contribution of our industry's products," says CHPA chief Scott Melville. Trade group conducts “Value of OTC Medicines" study for reasons including raising the profile of consumer health products in the US health care system.

NCI's Sharpless named acting FDA head; Mannatech trims loss as costs grow; Nilo drinks to avoiding hangovers; Daoust leads Soylent Nutrition development, innovation; Viactim in taller, narrower package; Revel Energy made with Nitrosigine; and Thorne has at-home tests for additional concerns.

RB's Health business failed to keep pace with market growth in 2018, with the firm admitting its mindset in Europe "needs to change." The UK-based consumer-goods giant spent the 12 months working on its RB 2.0 restructuring program, which will give it the option to separate into two independent companies focusing on Health and Hygiene by 2020.

France's food supplements market enjoyed broad-based growth across key categories in 2018, driven by consumer demand for natural alternatives to conventional medicine. Over the 12 months, Pileje overtook Arkopharma as the dominant player in market, as its leading probiotics brand, Symbiosys, flew off the shelves.

Herbalife announced following close of trading on US exchanges that former CEO and current Chairman Michael Johnson returns as interim chief following Richard Goudis' resignation.The firm, which has yet to schedule the release of its 2018 fourth-quarter results, said Goudis’ exit "pertains to comments which recently came to light" he made prior to becoming CEO in 2017.

The Cannabis Trades Association UK has initiated legal proceedings to challenge the European Commission's recent decision to classify CBD as a novel food. Meanwhile, the UK government has released an official response to the EU's decision. 

USPlabs executives, others plead guilty to felony charges stemming from marketing unsafe products labeled as supplements but containing DMAA and linked to hepatitis. Blackstone Labs and other firms indicted on felony charges following FDA investigation for marketing DMBA-containing products. "It's all very welcome news, but I'm not sure this is going to change the overall environment," says Pieter Cohen, a physician who advocates for tighter regulation of supplement manufacturing and marketing.

District court erred in dismissing FTC complaint that Prevagen marketer Quincy Biosciences used deceptive representations in ads, Second Circuit says in long-awaited order. FTC and New York attorney general, along with advocacy group TINA, criticize Quincy's post hoc data analyses finding "false positives."