Breaking News on Pharmaceutical Technology

SDTech and Malvern team up on process optimisation

31-Mar-2009 - Custom micronisation and milling firm SDTech has bolted on particle size analysis to its suite of drug industry offerings through a new collaboration with UK analysis specialist Malvern Instruments.

Pall’s Lego-like Stax system attracts biotechs

31-Mar-2009 - Pall’s Stax single-use depth filter attracted interest from a “number of biotechnology companies” at Interphex, according to director of marketing Ian Sellick who explained how the system can save space, time and money.

Flexibility is key for processing sector says Millipore

26-Mar-2009 - Flexibility is going to be a key driver for the pharmaceutical market in the next few years, according to Millipore's VP of downstream processing Paul Chapman.

Snapshot of technologies at Interphex 2009

24-Mar-2009 - St Patrick’s Day celebrations weren’t the only thing bringing people together in New York last week as the pharmaceutical manufacturing and outsourcing industries gathered at the Jacob K Javits convention centre for Interphex 2009.

Vetter launches VPI subsidiary

24-Mar-2009 - Vetter Pharma-Fertigung (VPF), a specialist provider of pre-filled injection systems, has formed a new subsidiary, Vetter Pharma International (VPI) to take charge of sales, marketing and customer services.

Schering pays $165m to settle GMP allegations

23-Mar-2009 - Schering-Plough has agreed to pay $165m to settle a class action lawsuit that claims the company’s failure to disclose manufacturing deficiencies defrauded investors.

Real-time analysis of tablet surfaces

19-Mar-2009 - UK company Paraytec has introduced a new instrument designed to allow formulation scientists to visualise – in real time – what is happening at a tablet surface when it dissolves.

pH sensor could be boon for bio

19-Mar-2009 - Sensorin has used Interphex 2009 to preview its self-calibrating pH measurement system, which it claims is the first of its kind and will help maximise yield in downstream purification processes.

FDA raises standards for import testing labs

17-Mar-2009 - The safety of drugs imported into the US remains high on the FDA’s agenda, with the agency publishing new draft guidance that raises standards for labs inspecting products made overseas.

Pharmacopoeias diverging on heavy metals testing?

17-Mar-2009 - The three main international pharmacopoeias in the US, Europe and Japan are experiencing a difference of opinion on the tricky topic of testing pharmaceutical ingredients for heavy metals.

Cel-Sci’s contract cold filling process could improve biologics

16-Mar-2009 - US Biotechnology firm Cel-Sci has unveiled a new manufacturing process, cold 4°C Aseptic Filling, that it claims can improve the shelf-life and potency of biologic drugs produced using stem cells.

Second lyophilizer goes online at Formatech in Andover

16-Mar-2009 - US CMO Formatech has brought a new Virtis Benchmark 3000 luophilizer into service at its manufacturing facility in Andover, Massachusetts, boosting capacity by 13,000 vials per production run.

Falling biopharma sales hurt Pall’s Q2; but Asia shows promise

16-Mar-2009 - Pall CEO Eric Krasnoff says delayed drug industry capital expenditure and moves to conserve inventory in the current global gloom caused life science sales to fall 8 per cent for the second quarter.

Driam launches cycled continuous tablet coating system

12-Mar-2009 - German coating technology specialist Driam hopes its new Driaconti-T continuous tablet coating platform will win over manufacturers wishing to improve process efficiency in times of economic gloom.

Genzyme accused of cGMP deficiencies by FDA

11-Mar-2009 - The FDA has found “significant objectionable conditions” at the Genzyme manufacturing facility that makes Lumizyme, creating another issue in the product’s approval process.

News in brief

AMPAC site boosts continuous process capacity

10-Mar-2009 - AMPAC Fine Chemicals has inaugurated its kilogram scale current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) compliant facility, which can handle batch or continuous processing.

C&QP partners to launch Evolution of GMP services

05-Mar-2009 - Evolution is collaborating with C&QP to offer a more comprehensive range of GMP services to clients, covering plant and equipment qualification, calibration and maintenance.

ESS' Monoblock sets big record for small bottles

03-Mar-2009 - ESS Technologies has extended the range of its Monoblock platform with a new bottle feeder capable of accurately filling and capping up to 120 small pharmaceutical liquid bottles a minute.

Symetix launches compact eagle-eyed tablet QC system

02-Mar-2009 - Symetix has launched a compact high-volume optical inspection system that is capable of verifying the colour, size and shape of capsules and tablets and removing defective products.

Ranbaxy made “untrue” statement in filings says FDA

26-Feb-2009 - Ranbaxy’s problems with the US FDA were ratcheted up a notch yesterday when the agency halted its review of products made at the firm’s plant in Paonta Sahib, India after uncovering “untrue statements” in ANDA’s and NDA filings.

Novartis recalls vaccines amid contamination concerns

26-Feb-2009 - Novartis has recalled two batches of meningitis C vaccine from the UK after the solvent used in their preparation was discovered to be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus.

News in brief

Mach One buys pharma processing machine firm

25-Feb-2009 - Equipment specialist Modular Process Constructors has been snapped up by Belgian biological testing firm Mach One for $500,000 (€388,746)

Wonderware launches batch processing software

24-Feb-2009 - Wonderware has launched software to improve the management of batch processes, offering users the ability to easily install additional processing lines or manufacturing cells.

GEA selects ACE Indian distribution network

19-Feb-2009 - Indian process technology firm ACE Technologies has won the contract to sell and service GEA Pharma Systems’ range of Courtoy tablet presses to local drug manufacturers as part of the latter company’s Asian expansion plan.