Breaking News on Pharmaceutical Technology

News in brief

PLF International appoints new sales director

19-Mar-2009 - PLF International has appointed a new sales director to drive organic growth and take the packaging machinery firm into new market sectors.

Braille standard drawn up for US pharma packaging

19-Mar-2009 - A US trade organisation has drawn up its own set of standards for Braille on pharmaceutical packaging in the absence of any legislative decision by the US.

FDA pushes graphics on product labels

04-Mar-2009 - Use of graphs and tables depicting pharmacokinetic attributes is among the recommendations made in the FDA’s latest guidance on clinical pharmacology labelling of prescription drugs.

ISO 15378:2006 award is competitive advantage for French plants, says Alcan

02-Mar-2009 - Three plants owned by contract packaging maker Alcan have been cleared to produce containers for pharmaceutical products under the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 15378:2006 guidelines.

Pharma Phacts

Nanotech polymer manufacture may help create better packaging

25-Feb-2009 - This week in-PharmaTechnologist's Pharma Phacts podcast focuses on a nanotechnology method that could produce more effective barrier packaging using less material.

SGD launches vials to capture lyophilisation boom

23-Feb-2009 - SGD launched its new lyophilisation vials at Pharmapack 2009, which Vincent Langlade, Marketing Director Pharmaceuticals, explained were well suited to capture the growing market.

Gerresheimer predicts drop in 2009 profits

19-Feb-2009 - Gerresheimer posted positive results for 2008, with operating income growing by over 13 per cent, but has acknowledged it will not be able to maintain this momentum in 2009.

IMA’s 2009 on track but challenges may lie ahead

17-Feb-2009 - IMA chief financial officer Sergio Marzo says that although demand for its machines has been strong so far this year, the number of orders it receives in the second quarter will provide a better reflection of the pharmaceutical industry’s position.

Amcor takes a flexible approach to packaging

16-Feb-2009 - Outsourcing-pharma spoke to Amcor Flexibles about the future of the global flexible packaging market.

Checking caps from all angles

12-Feb-2009 - An inspection system for sealing caps developed by Germany’s Vitronic could make the need for rotating pharmaceutical bottles and ampoules on the production line a thing of the past.

Amcor in talks for Alcan’s packaging unit

10-Feb-2009 - Australian packaging company Amcor is in talks with mining giant Rio Tinto about buying part of the latter’s Alcan Packaging Division, confirming speculation that emerged late last year.

News in brief

Almac wins Middlebrook packaging contract

05-Feb-2009 - Almac Pharmaceutical Services has won the contract to produce packaging for physician samples of Middlebrook Pharmaceuticals antibiotic Moxatag (amoxicillin).

News in brief

Polytype delivers new coating system to Constantia

04-Feb-2009 - Swiss Polytype Converting says it has completed the installation of one of its bespoke coating and lacquering systems at facilities owned by Austrian pharmaceutical foils specialist Constantia Patz.

Neopac aims to pierce compliance packaging market

04-Feb-2009 - Neopac has launched its Twist’n’Use single dose applicator, which it claims improves patient compliance, ensures administration of the correct dosage and prevents contamination.

Alpvision stresses importance of brand authenticity

02-Feb-2009 - As the sophistication of counterfeit drug packaging continues to improve it is becoming harder and harder to tell real products from fake. in-PharmaTechnologist spoke with Alpvision's Roland Meylan about the company's approach to brand authentication.

Track & trace viable today; EU backed pilot study

28-Jan-2009 - GS1 UK has released positive preliminary results from a track and trace pilot study, which used bar codes and EPC/RFID tags to follow drugs from manufacturing plants to a hospital.

NAF & VSM look to clean up in pre-washed vial market

26-Jan-2009 - We spoke with Martijn Eijkenboom, president of NAF & VSM, to discuss his companies’ entry into the market for pre-washed vials, ampoules and test tubes.

FDA wants standardised drug pack numbering

20-Jan-2009 - The FDA is calling for all drugs to be labelled using a standardised numerical identifier (SNI) similar to the one suggested in the delayed California e-Pedigree guidelines in a bid to tighten up supply chain security.

What to look out for at Pharmapack '09

19-Jan-2009 - in-PharmaTechnologist is joined by Aurore Domange, Pharmapack Manager, who details the highlights of this year’s show, which starts in Paris, France, this week.

Asian pack machine demand a boon US and EU industry

15-Jan-2009 - The market for packaging machinery is set to grow 5 per cent a year and be worth $40bn (€30.3bn) by 2012, driven partly by a hike in demand for drug products in “pharmerging” economies, according to a new industry report.

Süd-Chemie claims it has a cheaper, greener desiccant

15-Jan-2009 - Süd-Chemie Performance Packaging has expanded its range of bentonite desiccants, which it claims are cheaper and less environmentally damaging than silica gel alternatives.

Schering-Plough selects ixPressa software for blister printing

13-Jan-2009 - Schering-Plough has signed up to use software developed by UK-based specialist ixPressia to improve the quality of its blister printing operations.

EC publishes packaging guidelines; details for the blind

13-Jan-2009 - The European Commission (EC) has published its revised guidance on the readability of medicinal labels and accompanying leaflets, which will come into force in June.

McKesson and Burgopak focused on improving patient compliance

12-Jan-2009 - December's packaging deal between McKesson and Burgopak is further evidence of drug industry's determination to improve patient compliance. in-PharmaTechnologist asked Burgopak's global head of automation Mark Symonds for further details of the groundbreaking accord.