BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, a Durham drug developer, said it lost about a fifth of its revenue in the fourth quarter as the company continues adjusting to drug delays and a failed merger.

Revenue fell in the fourth quarter to $4.1 million last year from $5.2 million for the same three-month period in 2011. BioCryst's quarterly loss was $11.1 million, versus $13.2 million a year earlier, in the wake of an emergency restructuring that cut half the company's staff.

The per share loss was 22 cents, a few pennies better than analysts were projecting. One of BioCryst's strong suits is a cash reserve of $22 million to $26 million to get the company to its next round of funding or research grants.

“Our team is focused on achieving near-term milestones to rebuild shareholder value,” said CEO Jon P. Stonehouse in a statement.

Please note: Today, May 29, is the last day to sign up at the $15 price for N&O subscribers. Starting Wednesday, the class will be $20 and open to everyone.

If you've been wanting to sharpen your coupon skills, here's your chance to take a crash course.

Registration is now open for my next coupon workshop, a half-day class on Saturday, June 16.

You'll leave with all the information you need to start saving at least 50 percent on your weekly grocery bill, if not more. We'll also feed you breakfast and give you a nice goodie bag to take home with you.

Free candy, free first aid gel and ultra cheap toothpaste and shaving cream are among the bargains you can score this week at Triangle drugstores.
There are also some nice grocery deals at Kroger, including milk for $1.49 per half-gallon, $1 frozen veggies and Turkey Hill ice cream for just $1.99 after coupon.
My favorite savings opportunity of the week: Consider taking advantage of Kroger's enhanced fuel rewards when you purchase gift cards. I purchase them for gifts or for my everyday expenditures at places like Home Depot and Target, then reap the rewards in cheaper gasoline. (See further details below.)

Read on for the best of the Memorial Day weekend sales. And please leave a comment about any deals you spot.

You can tell by the ads that summer is nearly here. There are deals on everything from allergy medicines to sunscreen and swim diapers.
Worth noting up front:
*CVS is bringing back its summer gas card promotion: Spend $30 in select products and get a free $10 gift card for gasoline. CVS also has great deals on Ocean Spray juice (how does FREE sound?), Pantene, Irish Spring, Pepsi, Suave and Purex.
*Rite Aid has a good deal on Xtra laundry detergent and Formula 409.
*Walgreens has free tampons and a great deal on mouthwash and the best deal on swim diapers among all the stores. It also has the best deal I've seen on milk this week at just $2.99 per gallon.
*And at Kroger, there are good deals on produce, Greek yogurt, Breyers ice cream, Kroger cheese slices and All laundry detergent. Kroger has also brought back its enhanced fuel rewards, rewarding you with cheaper gasoline when you buy gift cards.

The drugstores are offering some especially good freebies this week, including free children's allergy medicine, free contact lens solution and free energy bars -- not to mention the free chocolate you can score at CVS.

There are also impressive deals on General Mills cereals, Kellogg's cereal bars, Banana Boat sunscreen, Neosporin, Huggies diapers and my favorite deal of the week, 8x10 photo collages for just 49 cents at Rite Aid.

At Kroger, chicken breasts are on sale for $1.79 per pound and milk is $1.49 per half gallon. Check out the produce deals as well: mangoes are just 59 cents each and organic Cameo apples are $1.29 per pound.

Once you hit the aisles, please post any great deals you spot so we can all save more.

Interested in learning how to save money at the grocery store? Or do you feel like you need a refresher course in couponing?

Registration is now open for my next coupon workshop, a half-day class on Saturday, June 16.

Unlike my previous classes, which were held at The N&O's offices, I'll be teaching this class at the Halle Cultural Arts Center in downtown Apex, which happens to be my hometown for the last 19 years.

It's a much bigger venue, which means more folks can take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the class, which will cover basic and advanced coupon techniques, teaching you to save at least 50 percent, if not more, on your grocery bill.

The half-day session will include information on:

This week's Sunday circulars contain some stellar deals: milk for under $3 a gallon at Kroger and Walgreens, a steal of a deal on olive oil at CVS, good produce prices at Kroger and bargain prices on Kellogg's cereals at Rite Aid.
But my favorite deal of the week is at CVS, where the store will actually pay YOU to buy greeting cards.
Read on for all the very best deals at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Kroger.  And, as always, please post any great deals you spot so we can all save more.

Cornerstone Therapeutics, a Cary drug developer, said today it has completed its transition from the primary care market to focusing on respiratory medications for the niche hospital market.

Cornerstone has been selling off non-core assets and acquiring businesses that fit the new business plan launched last June. The company has divested itself of two antibiotics, Factive and Spectracef, as part of a strategy to cut expenses and improve profits.

Cornerstone was created in 2008 when Cary's Cornerstone BioPharma acquired a Boston biotechnology company, Critical Therapeutics. The company has 116 employees, down from 147 a year ago.

"In 2011, we continued to execute upon our strategic plan by focusing on our strategic products within the hospital, niche respiratory and related specialty markets," Cornerstone CEO Craig Collard said in a press release.
 

In just the last few days, CVS has made changes to its official coupon policy.

But not to worry, coupon lovers.

All of the changes actually make it easier to shop with coupons at CVS to snag all those free and nearly free items.

As we get closer to Super Bowl time, the deals on snack foods are ramping up. This week, the drugstores have some nice deals on Doritos, Pepsi and Coke. After several months of high-priced soda, you can finally buy either brand for $2.50 a 12-pack (or less with a coupon!)
Also at the drugstores this week, you can also score some FREE or incredibly cheap items, including Blistex, Triaminic medicines, protein bars, UP2U gum and Finesse shampoo.
At Kroger, there's a new promotion giving you $5 off when you purchase 10 specially marked items. Among the deals there: Hunt's canned tomatoes for 19 cents, Easy Mac for 49 cents and Steamfresh veggies for 69 cents.

Read on for all the best deals I found at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Kroger and Target this week. Please add the bargains you spot in the comments section below.