Singapore ready to spend to boost biomanufacturing

25-May-2009 - Singapore’s prudent spending means it can view the economic crisis as an opportunity, according to an executive director of its EDB, using saved funds to progress beyond its struggling rivals.

BIO 2009: snapshot of an evolving biotech industry

22-May-2009 - in-Pharmatechnologist's Nick Taylor looks back on BIO 2009, an event at which uncertainty about the development of the biotechnology industry’s future shape dominated proceedings.

Healthcare reform could suffocate innovation; BIO 2009

22-May-2009 - Karl Rove and Senator Tom Daschle were among the political figures at BIO 2009 discussing how the US healthcare system should be reformed, which some believe could have grave consequences for medical innovation in the country.

France helps clusters battle for bio bucks

20-May-2009 - HEM Pierre Vimont, Ambassador of France to the US, was at BIO 2009 discussing the measures his nation have taken to attract biotechs, including the introduction of the "most favourable R&D tax in Europe".

Minakem adds EU API capacity to compete with Asia

20-May-2009 - Fine chemicals firm Minakem believes that manufacturing capacity added by its newly acquired API plant in Dunkirk, France will reduce costs and help it compete on a global scale.

Overseas API vendor qualification under US FDA spotlight says H&H

14-May-2009 - US drug firms’ qualification of overseas API vendors will be subject to increased FDA scrutiny in the coming years according to a new industry report by analysts Hogan & Hartson (H&H).

Sanofi seeks collaborators for €200m biotech plant

05-May-2009 - French drug major Sanofi Aventis has unveiled plans for a €200m ($268m) biotechnology investment at its manufacturing facility in Vitry-sur-Seine near Paris, under its collaborative Biolaunch project.

One-way, temp-controlled shipping will cut export costs, says Pharmafreight

05-May-2009 - Pharmafreight and Kryotrans have teamed up to offer a one-way, temperature-controlled shipping service that they claim will help pharmaceutical exporters cut costs and boost efficiency.

First USP OK for rHAs a "significant advantage", says Novozymes

04-May-2009 - Two recombinant human albumins made by Novozymes' biopharma division have become the first to comply with the USP-NF's recently revised excipient monograph.

Greece bans flu drug exports

04-May-2009 - Greek authorities have banned the export of the anti-virals Relenza and Tamiflu to prevent the country’s stockpile being sold off through parallel trade as global demand for the drugs increases on concerns about a H1N1 influenza pandemic.

News in brief

WHO says pandemic “imminent” and will distribute samples soon

30-Apr-2009 - The WHO has upgraded the pandemic warning to “imminent” and is expected to begin distributing reference samples of the H1N1 swine flu viral strain that has spread around the world to vaccine manufacturers.

Pfizer eyes FOBs and small to midsized deals

30-Apr-2009 - Pfizer is monitoring opportunities in follow-on biologics and continuing to look for small to mid-sized deals as it plans for life without Lipitor, global revenues of which fell by 13 per cent in Q1.

Novozymes begins work on Chinese bHA plant

28-Apr-2009 - Novozymes Biopharma is building a new Bacillus-based hyaluronic acid (bHA) production facility in China to meet “increasing demand” for the substance that has drug delivery applications.

Swine flu kills 103 in Mexico; global vacc majors poised to react

27-Apr-2009 - Novartis, Roche, GSK and Sanofi Pasteur are poised to start the months of work required to make a vaccine for the swine flu virus that, according to an AFP interview with Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova, is linked to 103 deaths in Mexico.

Hovione shows off Irish API plant

23-Apr-2009 - API maker Hovione’s manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland was unveiled at an opening ceremony yesterday just two weeks after the previous owner, global drug giant Pfizer, formally handed over the keys.

China ramps up stem cell efforts just weeks after US research U-turn

23-Apr-2009 - Construction of a new stem cell research and processing plant began yesterday in China’s Eastern Jiangsu province as part of a joint project between the Chinese government and Shenzen Beike Biotechnology.

Sinobipharma claims manufacturing first with capsule perindopril

22-Apr-2009 - Sinobiopharma is seeking a Chinese patent covering the manufacture of capsule forms of the heart drug perindopril, claiming it is the first company in the world to produce the medication in this easy to swallow format.

Domino increases Portuguese footprint with €7m buy

20-Apr-2009 - Domino Printing is expanding its presence in Portugal through the €7m ($9m) acquisition of Labeljet SA and its subsidiary Marque TDI, which is currently a distributor for the traceability specialist.

News in brief

Supply Chain integrity and anti-counterfeiting focus at ISPE 2009

17-Apr-2009 - US drug excipient body IPEC Americas will cosponsor a supply chain and anti-counterfeiting focused seminar at the annual meeting of International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) in Washington in June.

China still important for Big Pharma despite M&A slowdown

16-Apr-2009 - Although the downturn has slowed Big Pharma’s investment in China, the country’s wide ranging healthcare reforms and changing economic landscape still provide considerable opportunities says PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

MassBIO reflects on difficulties attracting biomanufacturing

16-Apr-2009 - Massachusetts Biotechnology Council’s (MBC) 2015 strategic plan has outlined the difficulties the state faces in attracting biomanufacturing and called for increased focus on R&D.

Pfizer moves for Indian unit, following Novartis’ lead

15-Apr-2009 - Pfizer is the latest company to seek greater control of its Indian subsidiary, falling into step with Swiss drug major Novartis which made a similar move late last month.

Sanofi beats Teva in Medley melee

15-Apr-2009 - Sanofi Aventis has confirmed it is buying Brazil’s Medley for $664m (€500m), to position it as the largest player in South America’s generics market.

News in brief

Pfizer opens St Louis R&D centre

14-Apr-2009 - Pfizer’s new $200m (€152m) research centre is up and running, bringing to an end the firm’s four year project to amalgamate its existing research facilities in St Louis, Missouri, US.