Catalent unveils ulta-sensitive melamine test for drugs

05-Nov-2009 - US contract services firm Catalent has launched a new test service capable of detecting trace amounts of the toxic chemical melamine in pharmaceuticals.

SMS deal expands reach

05-Nov-2009 - Particulate Systems (PS) and Surface Measurement Systems (SMS) have entered into a strategic collaboration drawing on their knowledge of using analytic equipment for the characterisation of particulate, porous and complex materials.

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New Jersey R&D sites vital, says Merck CEO

05-Nov-2009 - US R&D facilities in Rahway and Kenilworth, New Jersey will remain operational as they are vital to the to the newly formed Merck Schering-Plough group, according to CEO Richard Clark.

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GSK and Pfizer launch ViiV Healthcare

04-Nov-2009 - GSK and Pfizer have launched their HIV focused JV, ViiV Healthcare with the promise that it will undertake “relentless pursuit” of new drugs.

Penn completes phase one of Tredegar plant expansion

03-Nov-2009 - Welsh contract services firm Penn Pharmaceuticals has reorganised its transport and delivery infrastructure in the first phase of a £12m (€13.3m) expansion at its facility in Tredegar.

DNA tests required for Trovan claimants after data lost

03-Nov-2009 - Pfizer and Nigerian authorities want Trovan compensation claimants to provide DNA samples to confirm their identity, according to former Nigerian Supreme court justice Abubakar Wali.

Novartis invests in China

03-Nov-2009 - Novartis is investing $250m (€170m) to construct a facility in China focused on research, development and manufacture of APIs and has earmarked a further $1bn to expand its R&D activities in the country.

Influenza: statins may help, but did aspirin misuse hinder in 1918?

02-Nov-2009 - Early-stage CDC research suggests that the anti-inflammatory properties of cholesterol-busting statin drugs can help mitigate the impact of flu infection.

Lonza cuts 2009 guidance 14% and plans workforce cuts

02-Nov-2009 - Lonza cuts 2009 earning guidance and may reduce its workforce under “Project Bond” cost cutting plan after a Q3 characterized by an “accumulation of unexpected events”

Efficacy at Ph III: lupus drug Benlysta confirms blockbuster potential

02-Nov-2009 - Good news for Human Genome Sciences (HGS) as development partner GSK reports Ph III data showing that their co-owned lupus treatment Benlysta (belimumab) is effective.

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Phoenix helps closed Shasun plant rise from the “ashes”

02-Nov-2009 - Phoenix Chemicals will re-open a chemicals manufacturing plant in Scotland less than a year after it was closed by former owner Shasun Pharma Solutions.

Work begins on Indian seasonal flu vacc plant

29-Oct-2009 - Novavax says its new Indian vaccine plant will be operational in four months with sufficient capacity to help meet local demand for seasonal influenza vaccines.

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Pfizer, GSK and Bayer accept Ecuador’s plan to break patents

29-Oct-2009 - Late last week Ecuador’s government announced plans to sidestep patents on more than 2,000 drugs, enabling them to produced local or imported as “generics”

OctoPlus, Glycotope, Merck KGaA and SCM Pharma on BioPh 2009

29-Oct-2009 - How successful was the BioPh conference in Madrid? in-PharmaTechnologist asked key players attending the inaugural event.

Nokia forms anti-counterfeiting JV

28-Oct-2009 - Nokia, SAP and G&D are forming a company to provide anti-counterfeiting services which will draw on the firms’ respective expertise in mobile phones, supply chain technology and encryption.

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Unilife tagets pharma with Unifill brand

28-Oct-2009 - US headquartered Unilife is targeting pharmaceutical companies with its new Unifill RTF safety syringe and product range and has begun seeking international trademarks.

CDC targets track and trace

28-Oct-2009 - CDC Software has launched Trace Express Viewer which helps identify suspect materials, provides cGxP compliant transaction processing and covers users’ ePedigree requirements.

3Ms Drug delivery sales slide in comparison with strong 2008

27-Oct-2009 - Drug delivery device sales for Q3 were one of the few low points for 3M’s healthcare business, falling 5 per cent year on year.

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Korsch and ACG set up tabletting machine JV

27-Oct-2009 - German compression technology specialist Korsch says its JV with ACG Worldwide (ACG) helps meet growing global demand for tabletting machines.

Hovione adds aseptic spray drying to offering

26-Oct-2009 - Portuguese CMO Hovione has bought an aseptic spray-drying line from US firm Acusphere and says that the demand for the technology is increasing as drug firms aim to boost bioavailability.

2D barcodes make faking less attractive, says EFPIA

26-Oct-2009 - The EFPIA hopes a pilot 2D barcode labelling scheme will make drug counterfeiting less attractive for fakers and help improve patient safety.

H Lundbeck eschews outsourcing and buys Elaiapharm

20-Oct-2009 - CNS focused drugmaker H Lundbeck says its acquisition of French CMO Elaiapharm represents a cheaper option than third-party manufacturing.

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Schott plans 24/7 RTF syringe production at US plant

19-Oct-2009 - The US arm of packaging giant Schott has added ready-to-fill (RTF) glass syringe manufacturing capacity at its facility in Lebanon, Pennsylvania in a $14m (€9.4m) expansion designed to meet growing demand.

Arch adds first plant scale SMB in India

19-Oct-2009 - Arch Pharmalabs is continuing its push to serve innovative pharma by adding simulated moving bed (SMB) technology, becoming the first in India to offer the offer the system for plant scale API manufacture.