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.

News in brief

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”

Valois discusses what patients want from a device

20-Oct-2009 - Patients want nasal delivery devices that are portable, hygienic and can be used discretely, according to a director at Valois who delivered a talk on the company’s side-actuated product at CPhI 2009.

EC GMP directive “still alive”; Cargill

19-Oct-2009 - The EC’s plan to make excipients comply with GMP is “still alive”, according to Cargill which spoke to in-PharmaTechnologist at CPhI about its Zerose erythritol product that it claims can improve compliance.

Critical gains funding for hGH nasal delivery

19-Oct-2009 - Critical Pharmaceuticals has received a £1.5m ($2.4m) award to develop its hGH nasal spray, the market for which could be sizeable as company’s attempt to differentiate in response to generic competition.

ACRO wants trials for most biosimilars

15-Oct-2009 - ACRO says while a 12-year exclusivity period for innovative drugs is important for R&D, US legislation should include rules on trials for biosimilars

Stralfors says pack service plan can help drugmakers hit deadlines

15-Oct-2009 - Packaging group Stralfors says its recent collaboration with Novo Nordisk proves that its service plan is ideal for projects with strict time-to-market requirements.

CPhI 2009 show preview

08-Oct-2009 - We look ahead to CPhI 2009 which takes place in Madrid, Spain next week and will showcase the world’s leading ingredients, contract services, machinery and biotech companies.

Labopharm upbeat about depression drug after FDA OKs API maker

08-Oct-2009 - Canadian drugmaker Labopharm says its Italian API maker Gruppo Angelini has resolved all the US FDA concerns about processes used to make a once-a day version of the depression drug trazodone.

Genentech licenses SurModics tech for SR Lucentis

07-Oct-2009 - Its new microparticle technology licensing deal with Genentech could be worth as much as $200m (€136m) says US delivery specialist SurModics.

News in brief

Sanofi, Teva and Ratiopharm raided in EC competition probe

07-Oct-2009 - French drug major Sanofi Aventis, Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Germany’s Ratiopharm were raided by European Commission (EC) competition officials yesterday as part of an ongoing investigation.

French govt unlikey to relinquish grip on health spending, says BMI

06-Oct-2009 - Despite the government’s “aggressive” promotion of generic drugs, pharmaceutical spending in France will continue to grow, according to new analysis by Business Monitor International (BMI).

Hospira buys facility & filgrastim rights to boost biogenerics

06-Oct-2009 - Hospira has acquired the worldwide rights to filgrastim and a Croatian biologics plant from Pliva, increasing its presence in the biogenerics field, and told in-PharmaTechnologist that further expansions are possible.

FDA proposes cGMP rule for combination products

29-Sep-2009 - The FDA is to establish current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) requirements for combination products to eliminate inconsistencies that could affect product safety and public health.

Controlled-release can deliver for generics firms, says Espicom

03-Sep-2009 - Wyeth’s battles to protect the controlled-release (CR) version of its anti-depressant Effexor are a sign of things to come according to a new Espicom report identifying 30 CR drugs likely to face competition.

Biosimilars market to be worth $19.4bn by 2014

03-Sep-2009 - The biosimilars sector is predicted to be worth $19.4bn (€13.6bn) by 2014, by which time the US will have overtaken Asia as the dominant market, according to a report.

Pfizer inaugurates new $214m Swedish biotech plant

26-Aug-2009 - Pfizer’s new $214.8 million (€150m) biotechnology facility in Strangnas, Sweden was inaugurated yesterday, securing the country’s future in the company’s manufacturing network according to global manufacturing president Natale Ricciardi.

Microneedle patch could boost compliance

24-Aug-2009 - Researchers have presented new microneedle drug delivery patches, which, using technology developed in the electronics sector, could improve compliance and treat ocular diseases.

Eastern Europe drug market worth $41bn by 2014; but rules complex

19-Aug-2009 - Eastern Europe’s pharmaceutical market is growing at an impressive rate, but the complex regulatory rules being introduced may make it a less attractive proposition that it first appears, according to a new study by Business Insights.

West’s operating income drops in Q2

05-Aug-2009 - West Pharmaceutical Services’ operating income fell by 33 per cent in Q2 but the company reported that demand for some of its drug delivery technology is strong.

Positive Phase II for intranasal antiemetic

04-Aug-2009 - Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL) has posted a positive first report on the Phase II trial of its intranasal antiemetic, which it claims is a more convenient treatment for cancer patients.

BioMarin: good news on Kuvan patents; bad news as costs hit Q2 profits

03-Aug-2009 - New US patents for the PKU drug Kuvan will “significantly strengthen” BioMarin’s position according to CEO Jean-Jacques Bienaime.

Medingo’s insulin patch approved; shares rocket

30-Jul-2009 - Medingo’s insulin dispensing patch has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sending shares in its parent company soaring to a 12 month high.

News in brief

Wyeth shareholders OK Pfizer takeover

21-Jul-2009 - Wyeth’s shareholders gave Pfizer’s $68bn (€48bn) takeover a ringing endorsement late yesterday, with 98 per cent voting in favour of the deal.