Strategy

23andMe cut 40% of its workforce and will discontinue its therapeutic program as part of ongoing restructuring. This comes after a data breach, series of layoffs and the resignation of its board members.

A slowdown in China and the US, along with signs of a weaker cough & cold season in the latter, has led Bayer Consumer Health to lower its full-year sales guidance.

Finland is the latest market launch for OTC erectile dysfunction treatment Eroxon. High demand for the product in other countries, such as Norway, helped drive up Navamedic's consumer health sales in the first nine months of 2024.

A round-up of recent consumer health appointments: PharmaSGP names new CEO; Stada appoints Vietnam head; NèreS adds to board.

Stada will ship a wide range of consumer healthcare products from its new Romanian production facility, into which the German firm has invested over €70m.

Bayer Consumer Health is replacing mixed material PVC blister packs with monomaterial PET blisters beginning with Aleve in the Netherlands. HBW Insight speaks to vice president and global head of design, packaging, product experience and sustainability, Chris Padain, about the "evolutionary" strategy behind the move, the complexities of choosing the right material for the right product, and the importance of industry cross-collaboration via associations like GSCF.

Firm’s future, as a separate business nearly 90% owned by Bausch Health, or as a standalone with different ownership or one not controlled by a majority owner, claims high profile in analysts’ comments and predictions. B+L is in the driver’s seat, they say.

French public sector investment bank Bpifrance's influence over the future strategy of Opella extends to its one seat on the company's board, but not past that, Sanofi confirms as it reports Q3 results.

Kenvue may have to start sharing time with Bausch + Lomb in investors’ discussions about the outlook for success at US consumer health firms separated from former parent firms as they and their competitors begin reporting the results for their latest quarters.

A round-up of the latest appointments in Europe's consumer health industry: Dr Reddy's hires UK head; Mayoly names CEE lead; NèreS adds director.

Control of Sanofi Consumer Healthcare – recently rebranded as Opella – may soon pass to US private-equity firm CD&R but the French firm looks set to retain a substantial stake in a business which has some big Rx-to-OTC switches in the pipeline.

UK pharma also reaches agreement in principle, subject to DoJ approval, to pay $70m to resolve a whistleblower complaint filed by Valisure, the testing lab which in 2019 raised concerns about a potential link between the use of drugs containing ranitidine, a histamine-2 blocker, and cancer.

A leading provider of over-the-counter health and wellbeing products in the DACH region will be created through the merger of Merz Lifecare and Windstar Medical.

Regenerative Processing replaces nozzle to prevent backflow for its Regener-Eyes drops but FDA warning states numerous questions about sterility at the firm’s plant and about its procedures and systems for preventing microbial contamination.

In addition to its recently established Precision Health division, Bayer Consumer Health is using artificial intelligence to save time on routine tasks and to manage supply and demand, the firm’s head of digital transformation and IT, Cristina Nitulescu, tells HBW Insight.

After launching Retaine MGD Advanced, OcuSoft says a release by Bruder Healthcare referenced Retaine MGD trademark and statements from a previous OcuSoft announcement about the original product attributed to an optometrist. B+L, Rohto brand and homeopathic firm Relief Products also make US OTC eye care space moves.

Maxwellia is inviting 100 investors to contribute to the “development of new healthcare solutions that will benefit millions, while also playing a role in shaping the future of self-care.”

Leadership changes at Norgine, IPHA and Orifarm feature in this week's round-up of European consumer health people news.

Joint venture business which markets Haleon's OTC drug brands in China will soon be 88% owned by the UK-based firm.

Mucinex Sinus saline nasal spray is designed to treat sinus-related symptoms as “first-ever drug-free saline product” with a dual nozzle offering two spray settings, marketer Reckitt-Benckiser says.