Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. acquires, develops, and commercializes prescription drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in the United States. The company?s marketing products include Xifaxan tablet, a gastrointestinal-specific oral antibiotic for the treatment of patients with travelers? diarrhea; MoviPrep, a liquid polyethylene glycol-salt bowel cleansing product; Visicol and OsmoPrep tablets for cleansing of the colon as a preparation for colonoscopy in adults; and Apriso, for the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis in adults. Its marketing products also include Metozolv ODT orally disintegrating tablets for the relief of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux or short-term therapy for adults; Azasan, a drug that suppresses immune system responses and is indicated for preventing rejection of kidney transplants and treatment of severe arthritis; Anusol-HC and Proctocort, the hydrocortisone creams and suppositories for use in inflamed hemorrhoids and postirradiation proctitis, as well as an adjunct in the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis and inflammatory conditions; Pepcid and Diuril oral suspensions, which are used for gastrointestinal indications that include the treatment of duodenal ulcer, benign gastric ulcer, and gastro esophageal reflux diseases; and Colazal capsules for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. In addition, Salix has products under development for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy and irritable bowel syndrome, HIV-associated diarrhea, gastroenterology, and ulcerative proctitis or proctosigmoiditis. It has collaboration agreements with aaiPharma LLC; Alfa Wassermann S.P.A.; Biorex Laboratories Limited; Cedars?Sinai Medical Center; Clinical Development Capital Partnership; Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH; King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Lupin, Ltd.; Merck & Co., Inc.; Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Norgine B.V.; and Wilmington Pharmaceuticals, LLC. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina.

NBTY, Inc. manufactures, markets, and retails nutritional supplements in the United States and worldwide. It offers various products, including vitamins, minerals, and sports and other nutritional supplements; food products, such as fruits, nuts, and confectionery products; and personal care products. The company markets approximately 25,000 products under the brands Nature's Bounty, Ester-C, Solgar, MET-Rx, American Health, Osteo Bi-Flex, Flex-A-Min, SISU, Knox, Sundown, Rexall, Pure Protein, Body Fortress, WORLDWIDE Sport Nutrition, Natural Wealth, Puritan's Pride, Holland & Barrett, GNC (UK), Physiologics, Le Naturiste, De Tuinen, Julian Graves, and Vitamin World. It primarily sells its products to mass merchandisers, club stores, drug store chains and supermarkets, wholesale clubs, independent pharmacies, health food stores, health food store wholesalers, the military and other retailers. The company also sells its products through mail order catalog and the Internet. As of September 30, 2009, it operated 442 Vitamin World stores in the United States; 86 Le Naturiste stores in Canada; 537 Holland and Barrett stores in Europe; 351 Julian Graves stores and 31 GNC (UK) stores in the United Kingdom; 80 De Tuinen stores in the Netherlands; 24 Nature's Way stores in Ireland; and 9 franchise Holland and Barrett stores in South Africa. The company was formerly known as Nature's Bounty, Inc. and changed its name to NBTY, Inc. in March 1995. NBTY, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is based in Ronkonkoma, New York.