China healthcare spending up despite economic fears, BD says

09-Feb-2012 - BD posted double-digit revenue growth in China as government spending on healthcare continued despite economic pressures.

FDA calls for more powers to adopt nationwide ePedigree

02-Feb-2012 - The US FDA has called for more authority to ensure any track-and-trace system is binding for industry and pre-empts state laws.

update 2

BASF hikes EOA prices days after asking EU to review US import levies

30-Jan-2012 - BASF has hiked its prices for ethanolamines just days after asking the European Commission to review measures designed to stop US exporters selling the compound at less than cost to manufacturers in Europe.

US hits Ranbaxy with injunction to boost manufacturing quality

26-Jan-2012 - The US has filed a “groundbreaking” injunction against Ranbaxy to force the generic giant to make “fundamental changes” at its plants.

Simplifying taxes would encourage Pharma manufacturing in France, says govt advisory board

26-Jan-2012 - Simplification of French tax laws would incentivise Pharmas to manufacture drugs in the country according to a government advisory body.

EU could make API suppliers verify starting material sources

26-Jan-2012 - Europe is considering forcing API manufacturers to verify the source of starting materials as part of GMP revisions.

Sigma-Aldrich looks to HPAPIs as generic sector heats up

18-Jan-2012 - Sigma-Aldrich is prioritising HPAPIs as it seeks to grow its custom pharma business in the face of low-cost competition.

PIC/S adds GDP to remit to tackle supply chain threats

17-Jan-2012 - PIC/S has strengthened promotion of global GDP harmonisation and confidentiality in a revision to its documentation.

FDA plans to boost oversight using foreign regulators’ info

17-Jan-2012 - The US FDA plans to study foreign regulators’ GMP inspection reports with a view to using them to support its enforcement efforts.

FDA plans overseas inspections as GDUFA goes to Congress

16-Jan-2012 - The US FDA has sent its generic user fee recommendations to Congress ahead of a meeting to discuss the plan next month.

Collaboration needed to reverse supply chain “neglect”; expert

11-Jan-2012 - Greater collaboration between regulators, suppliers and manufacturers is needed to reverse decades of supply chain neglect, an expert said.

US fake drug seizures up 200%

10-Jan-2012 - The value of counterfeit pharmaceuticals seized at US borders jumped 200 per cent in 2011 as enforcement actions took effect.

USP publishes draft supply chain integrity chapter

09-Jan-2012 - The USP has published draft supply chain integrity guidance outlining steps to stop counterfeit or adulterated drugs reaching patients.

British Empire gong for GSK’s Witty

04-Jan-2012 - GSK CEO Andrew Witty has been knighted in the Queen's New Year Honours list in recognition of his services to the UK economy and pharmaceutical industry.

Rx-360 warns Pharmas of guar gum shortage

04-Jan-2012 - Supply chain security group Rx-360 has warned that guar gum – a thickening agent that is widely used in the drug industry – is in short supply.

India faces intense competition in pursuit of $25bn export goal

04-Jan-2012 - The Indian pharmaceutical industry faces “intense competition” from China as it tries to grow exports to $25bn, the country's commerce minister said.

Pall to buy ForteBio to build biopharma biz

22-Dec-2011 - Pall will buy US instrument maker ForteBio next year in a continuation of efforts to build its biomanufacturing technology offering.

SE Asia likely source of fake anti-malarials in Africa; study

20-Dec-2011 - Counterfeit anti-malarials containing the Viagra API were probably manufactured in Southeast Asia, researchers found.

GE wont say if turnkey bioplant partnership will cut prices for emerging nations

19-Dec-2011 - GE Healthcare wont say if its new turnkey biologics plant development service will offer Governments in emerging nations discounted rates.

Drug quality treaty needed to raise standards, academics say

15-Dec-2011 - A treaty on medicine quality is needed to fix the major public health problem of substandard drugs, according to academics.

GE and M+W team on plant and tech biologics production solution

14-Dec-2011 - GE Healthcare and M+W Group aim to capture a share of the rapidly expanding global biologics market with a new plant and manufacturing tech partnership.

Joint FDA-EMA inspection programme to launch in January 2012

13-Dec-2011 - The FDA and the EMA will begin sharing facility inspection data in their respective territories from January to make better use of resources and reduce drugmakers’ inspection burdens.

News in brief

AZ buys Chinese generics manufacturer

12-Dec-2011 - UK drug maker AstraZeneca has bought Chinese non-branded drugmaker Guangdong BeiKang Pharma.

Bosch lauds new extrusion and calendaring line’s API solubility benefits

07-Dec-2011 - Bosch Packaging Technology says melt extrusion is the answer to drug manufacturers’ active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) solubility questions.