Dainippon expands RNAi delivery deal with Silence Therapeutics

31-Mar-2010 - Silence Therapeutics says extension of RNAi drug delivery collaboration by Dainippon Sumitomo is evidence of technology’s potential.

Klockner expanding PVC and shrink-label capacity

31-Mar-2010 - The Klockner Pentaplast Group has invested $37m (€27m) to expand PVC production capacity and add shrink-label film capabilities at its facilities in Thailand and the US.

New coating eliminates need for barrier films, says Finnish team

31-Mar-2010 - A new nano-based coating that is claimed to reduce packaging waste is initially being targeted at the pharmaceutical sector but could be used in chocolate packaging as well, claims the...

Nano-enabled drug packaging market worth $8bn by 2014, says iRAP

31-Mar-2010 - The market for “nano-enabled” pharmaceutical packaging is growing 16.5 per cent a year and will be worth $8.1bn (€6bn) by 2014 according to new research by iRAP.

Jazz: Lonza terminates long-term Xyrem API supply deal

30-Mar-2010 - Jazz Pharmaceuticals says that API maker Lonza has terminated a long-term sodium gamma hydroxybutyrate development and supply agreement.

People on the move: pharma jobs

30-Mar-2010 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at Epizyme, Pregis, SixLog, Anthera and Cordis.

WHO drafts guidelines on starting material quality

30-Mar-2010 - The WHO has published its views on the production of starting materials in draft guidance which details recommendations to ensure product quality while keeping costs down.

News in brief

Medivation cuts workforce 20% after Dimebon failure

30-Mar-2010 - Medivation laid off 23 employees yesterday to cut costs after Dimebon, the Alzheimer’s disease drug the firm is developing with Pfizer, failed to hit efficacy endpoints in a pivotal Phase...

Thermo takes over trial supply production at Lilly Indy plant

29-Mar-2010 - Thermo Fisher Scientific will take charge of clinical trial material production at Eli Lilly’s research technology facility in Indianapolis as the pharmaceutical firm further reduces in-house capacity to cut costs....

EMA recommends recall due to India sourced API concerns

29-Mar-2010 - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended a recall of Acino’s generic Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate) because of alleged failings in GMP at the API production facility.

News in brief

Counterfeit Alli investigation leads to two arrests

29-Mar-2010 - A joint enforcement operation in the US has led to the arrests of two people accused of being involved in supplying counterfeit weight loss medication, including GSK’s Alli (orlistat).

Anticancer APIs drive ScinoPharm gains in 2009

25-Mar-2010 - Contract manufacturing organization (CMO) ScinoPharm says strong anticancer API sales and growing demand in Europe and Asia were key to record performance in 2009.

US FDA to oversee ops at Genzyme’s Allston plant

25-Mar-2010 - Genzyme receives US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “consent decree” for troubled Allston manufacturing plant.

UK budget “a missed opportunity” for manufacturing

25-Mar-2010 - The UK budget was “a missed opportunity” to encourage manufacturing, according to UK Chemical Industries Association (CIA), but was free from unexpected tax increases.

GEA opens plant in India to meet local demand

24-Mar-2010 - GEA Pharma Systems opens new equipment facility in Gujarat, India and stresses price advantages of "low-cost manufacturing base."

Inhalable delivery tech worth $38bn, says GIA

24-Mar-2010 - The increasing incidence of chronic and “lifestyle” related disorders will fuel demand for inhalable delivery technologies over the next five years, according to a Global Industry Analysts (GIA) report.

News in brief

Novozymes publishes data on Recombumin excipient

24-Mar-2010 - Novozymes Biopharma has published data demonstrating the ability of Recombumin , an excipient, to protect against aggregation, oxidation and non-specific adsorption.

People on the move: pharma jobs

24-Mar-2010 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including a reshuffle at PhRMA and manoeuvring of directors at OSI Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec.

Grace receives 1st ever IPEA excipient GMP "certification"

23-Mar-2010 - The IPEA's issuance of good manufacturing practice (GMP) “certification” is mark of manufacturing quality, says US specialty chemicals supplier W R Grace & Co.

Schott posts fiscal 09 loss, but predicts double-digit growth

23-Mar-2010 - Industrial glass maker Schott ended a “rather difficult” fiscal 2009 with a loss but says rise in drug packaging sales will help drive double-digit earnings growth in current financial year.

PCV1 virus DNA found in GSK's Rotarix vaccine

23-Mar-2010 - GSK has confirmed that material from the PCV1 virus has been detected in Rotarix and, although there is no evidence of a safety risk, the FDA has recommended use is...

News in brief

EWP says manufacturing line at West African firm operational soon

23-Mar-2010 - A Ghanian drugmaker will soon start producing generic pharmaceuticals for the West African market, according to investment group Emerging World Pharma.

Pharma “leading the pack” despite shipping law issues

22-Mar-2010 - The shipping requirements of drugs means the TSA’s new law poses unique problems to the pharma industry, according to DHL, but experience of tight regulations should help companies achieve compliance....

Pall teams with Sotax on filters; reports biopharma biz strong in Q2

22-Mar-2010 - Industrial filtration specialist Pall and testing firm Sotax say their new co-marketing deal is only first stage of planned pharmaceutical industry certification solutions partnership.

Dr Reddy’s opens mPEG alcohol plant in Mexico

22-Mar-2010 - Dr Reddy’s has made a “significant investment” in an mPEG alcohol production facility in Mexico to strengthen its presence in a sector it believes is on the rise.

News in brief

ITRE unanimously approves falsified drug opinion

22-Mar-2010 - The European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) has unanimously approved the falsified medicine opinion authored my Amalia Sartori MEP.

Amcor rejects price fixing estimate for damages

19-Mar-2010 - Amcor has dismissed claims that it should pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages over allegations it took part in a packaging price fixing cartel.

Botswana seeks partners to start manufacturing drugs

18-Mar-2010 - The Botswanan government is seeking to initiate local pharma manufacturing, which would lower drug prices, by entering into public-private partnerships (PPP), according to a report by F&S.

Millipore launches Milliflex Quantum for rapid microbial detection

18-Mar-2010 - Millipore has expanded its microbial detection offering with Milliflex Quantum which, it says, enables manufacturers to respond to contamination issues earlier in the drug and vaccine production process.

News in brief

US drug sector increased R&D spending 2% in 2009

18-Mar-2010 - US pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms spent a record $65bn (€48bn) on drug and vaccine R&D in 2009, says a new study by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)...

Irish pharma sector must attract R&D to secure competitve edge, says PCI

18-Mar-2010 - Ireland must become an R&D hub as well as a drug manufacturing destination to prosper in the increasingly competitive global pharmaceutical market, says industry body PharmaChemical Ireland (PCI).

Prosonix launches UMAX particle tech for respiratory drugs

17-Mar-2010 - Prosonix’ new UMAX particle engineering technology is set to “revolutionise” the field of respiratory medicines, according to company CEO David Hipkiss.

News in brief

China third biggest drug market in 2011, says IMS

17-Mar-2010 - China will become the third largest pharmaceutical market in the world in 2011 according to new research by IMS Health, which also increased its list of fast growing, or “pharmerging,”...

Compugen creates system to predict peptide delivery

17-Mar-2010 - Compugen has developed a computer-based, in silico system which can assist drug delivery research by identifying peptides that have the potential to penetrate cell membranes.

People on the move: pharma jobs

17-Mar-2010 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at Teva, Codexis, Albemarle and BayBio.

Pfizer and Tekirma team on siRNA delivery

17-Mar-2010 - US drug giant Pfizer will assess Tekimra Pharmaceuticals’s stable nucleic acid-lipid particle (SNALP) platform for the delivery of siRNA drugs.

Genzyme addresses impurity problem at Ireland Cerezyme plant

16-Mar-2010 - US drugmaker Genzyme has detected an impurity in one vial of the Gaucher’s disease drug Cerezyme produced at its manufacturing facility in Waterford, Ireland.

FDA wants more data on Afrezza's "clinical utility"; MannKind's shares fall

16-Mar-2010 - US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) request for more Afrezza data is not safety related and will not require new clinical trials, says developer MannKind.

Patheon posts Q1 loss, but upbeat on 2010; Orexigen deal

16-Mar-2010 - Patheon attributes Q1 loss to charges and plant closure costs and says there has been “an encouraging increase in new sales activity” in calendar 2010.

News in brief

Fresenius opens temp controlled warehouse in Austria

16-Mar-2010 - Fresenius Kabi has opened a temperature controlled, high-bay, fully automated warehouse near its manufacturing plant in Austria, according to its partner on the project.

Sigma adds big name small molecules to portfolio in Pfizer deal

15-Mar-2010 - Drug researchers will have greater access to some top selling molecules, including currently patented compounds atorvastatin, sildenafil and celecoxib, thanks to Sigma Aldrich’s new bioactives deal with US drug major...

China to build ‘one of largest biologics CMOs in Asia’

15-Mar-2010 - The Chinese government is supporting a $100m (€73m) project to build a contract biologics production facility in Beijing, which, by some measures, would be the largest in Asia.

Merck & Co joins biosecurity vaccine facility coalition

15-Mar-2010 - Merck & Co has joined a coalition to build a vaccine facility which is capable of simultaneously manufacturing multiple products and can quickly switch in response to a crisis.

News in brief

AstraZeneca to sell branded generics in deal with Torrent

15-Mar-2010 - AstraZeneca targets global generics market in license and supply deal with Indian manufacturer Torrent Pharma.

News in brief

MedPro and Helvoet partner on PFSS project

11-Mar-2010 - US devices specialist MedPro Safety Products and Helvoet Pharma have teamed up to develop the former’s range of prefilled safety syringes (PFSS).

Stason to sell Unitract safety syringe to drugmakers in Asia

11-Mar-2010 - Stason Pharmaceuticals’ subsidiary Standard Chem and Pharm will act as primary distributor for the Unitract 1ml safety syringe in China, Japan and Taiwan under a five-year new deal with US...

Genewiz adds gene synthesis

11-Mar-2010 - DNA sequencing specialist Genewiz has added gene synthesis to its service portfolio, providing researchers with a time- and cost-saving alternative to techniques such as molecular cloning and protein engineering.

Lotus breaks ground on Beijing pharma complex

11-Mar-2010 - Lotus Pharmaceuticals has broken ground on a building complex, housing offices, R&D, production and storage, in Beijing, China.

News in brief

Abbott to buy Facet

10-Mar-2010 - Abbott is strengthening its multiple sclerosis and oncology pipeline by agreeing to acquire Facet Biotech for a net value of approximately $450m (€330m).

Pharmadule providing modular biotech plant to Silcor

10-Mar-2010 - Pharmadule AB is creating a complete modular biologics production facility, which will be 80 per cent completed in its workshop before delivery, to Lithuania-based Silcor Biotech by 2011.

Glycos scales up sustainable lactic acid production

10-Mar-2010 - Glycos Biotechnologies has produced lactic acid in a pilot plant using its sustainable technique, successfully scaling up from a laboratory setting to provide an alternate source for the chiral synthon.

Consortium formed to offer tailored CMC packages

10-Mar-2010 - Cambridge Major Laboratories (CML), Avantium, Xcelience and Beckloff have formed a consortium to offer tailored, client-focused CMC packages which are particularly suited to atypical compounds.

Isis receives $3m investment

09-Mar-2010 - Isis Biopolymer, a start up developing a wireless drug delivery patch, has received funding of $3m (€2.2m), according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Mettler-Toledo develops new inspection system for bottles

09-Mar-2010 - Mettler-Toledo CI-Vision has developed a new 360 degree bottle inspection system to spot packaging and labelling defects.

People on the move: pharma jobs

09-Mar-2010 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at Agilent Technologies, iBio, Sanofi Aventis and Q Chip.

News in brief

Synthon continues Latin America expansion with Nafar buy

09-Mar-2010 - Synthon has completed the acquisition of Mexico-based Nafar Laboratories, adding to its presence in Latin America which includes recent purchases in Chile and Argentina.

Wacker opens €18m expansion of biologics site

09-Mar-2010 - Wacker Chemie AG has expanded its biologics production facility, adding GMP manufacturing capacity and a process development building in response to customer demand.

News in brief

Xcellerex’s FlexFactory being used for Humacyte candidate

08-Mar-2010 - Xcellerex is using its single use bioreactor system, FlexFactory, to develop a novel manufacturing process for Humacyte’s regenerative medicine candidate.

Inovio develops hand-held device for mass vaccination

08-Mar-2010 - Inovio Biomedical has developed a hand-held, cordless electroporation device, Cellectra-SP, which it believes is well suited to administering DNA vaccines in mass immunization programmes.

AuroSource joins India’s $1.5bn CRAMS sector

08-Mar-2010 - Indian generic drugmaker Aurobindo Pharma officially launched its CRAMS unit AuroSource last week, also unveiling plans for an R&D facility in Pashamylaram near Hyderabad, India.

Synthemax cuts hESC production cost say Geron and Corning

04-Mar-2010 - New Synthemax synthetic growth matrix promises improved scalability for large-scale hESC production which, say developers Geron and Corning, will cut cost of cell therapy manufacture.

News in brief

Evonik buys pharma & fine chem separations specialist MET

04-Mar-2010 - Evonik has bought Membrane Extraction Technology (MET), strengthening its pharma and fine chemical separation capabilities and continuing a busy week of acquisitions for the company.

Aspen selling Brazilian plant after drop in revenues

04-Mar-2010 - South Africa-based Aspen Pharma is to sell its Brazilian oral solid dosage form manufacturing facility to Strides Arcolab after posting a 15 per cent drop in revenues from Latin America.

Fujifilm launches full-colour, high-res anti-counterfeiting label

04-Mar-2010 - Fujifilm has introduced an anti-counterfeiting label, called ForgeGuard, which it claims is the first product with full colour images and text that can be checked using a viewing device.

Unilife deals with Sanofi; lists on NASDAQ

03-Mar-2010 - Sanofi Aventis has paid Unilife €10m for exclusive rights to use its Unifill ready-to-fill (RTF) syringe for the delivery of anti-thrombotic agents and vaccines.

News in brief

Astellas' go to courts in $3.5bn pursuit of OSI

03-Mar-2010 - Reports suggest that Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma has gone to the US courts to prevent takeover target OSI Pharmaceuticals from impeding its efforts just days after it tabled its $3.5bn...

BTS opens Singapore consulting office

03-Mar-2010 - Bayer Technology Services (BTS) has set up a new Singapore office to provide the regions’ drug and chemicals producers with engineering consultation services and micro reaction technology.

People on the move: pharma jobs

03-Mar-2010 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including a retirement at Pfizer, a new CEO at B-MS and appointments at Mylan, Archimedes and Kinex.

Watson to sell ScinoPharm share to Uni-President

02-Mar-2010 - A significant share of contract API maker ScinoPharm Taiwan is set to change hands after Watson Pharmaceuticals decided to sell its stake to Uni-President Enterprises Corporation.

Merrion’s GIPET gets US patent for bisphosphonates

02-Mar-2010 - Merrion Pharmaceuticals’ GIPET technology has been granted US patent protection for use with bisphosphonates.

News in brief

Evonik acquires Amperkat catalysts from HC Starck

02-Mar-2010 - Evonik Degussa Gmbh has acquired the Amperkat business from HC Starck, enhancing its range of catalysts used in the production of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.

PARI launches Vios aerosol delivery system

02-Mar-2010 - PARI Respiratory Equipment has launched its Vios aerosol delivery system to provide a tool for quickly administering treatments to the lungs, with a small particle size and high respirable drug...

Stratophase & GSK work on multi-parameter monitoring

02-Mar-2010 - Stratophase and GSK are part of a consortium developing a multi-parameter device capable of performing the real-time monitoring of key criteria needed to employ QbD in API production.

FDA OK for Haupt Pharma’s Italian antibiotics plant

01-Mar-2010 - US FDA clearance for Italian antibiotics production facility is important for global growth says German contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) Haupt Pharma.

News in brief

Aurelius buys fine chemicals supplier Isochem

01-Mar-2010 - German investment group Aurelius AG has acquired French fine chemicals supplier Isochem from state owned firm Groupe SNPE.

iBio licences plant-based tech for H1N1 vaccine production

01-Mar-2010 - iBio has agreed in principle to license its iBioLaunch platform, which uses Nicotiana to produce therapeutics, to G-Con for the development and manufacture of plant-expressed influenza vaccines.

Merck KGaA to buy Millipore for €5bn

01-Mar-2010 - German pharmaceutical firm Merck KGaA says proposed Millipore acquisition will transform its chemicals unit and give it a more balanced business profile.