update

DSM says CMO biz model out of step with market; sales drop in Q1

28-Apr-2011 - Royal DSM NV says its pharmaceutical contract manufacturing business model is ‘out of step with market needs’ after the unit’s Q1 performance blots an otherwise positive set of financials.

News in brief

Clariant acquires Süd Chemie

28-Apr-2011 - Switzerland – based specialty chemicals group Clariant has acquired 96.15 per cent of German Süd – Chemie.

Becton Dickinson updates on Japan ops; posts Q2 results

28-Apr-2011 - Becton, Dickinson and company (BD) has announced that production of its Hypak prefilled in Japan will resume later this year as operations in the country are recovering faster than expected.

PharmStar to accelerate Aquaprin to market with new 24,000 sq. ft. facility

28-Apr-2011 - US drug developer, PharmStar Pharmaceuticals, has reached an agreement to buy a new 24,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Wilson, North Carolina.

People on the move: pharma jobs

28-Apr-2011 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at DSM, Mersana and Diamyd Medical.

USP and ChP forge stronger links with new appointments

27-Apr-2011 - The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission (ChP) have made mutual executive appointments in an effort to further align drug quality standards.

update

Oystar sells processing tech units to Bosch

27-Apr-2011 - Oystar has sold its processing tech units, Huttlin and Manesty, to Bosch in a deal that continues its effort to refocus on primary and secondary packaging.

Eli Lilly and Medtronic to collaborate on developing new Parkinson’s treatment

27-Apr-2011 - Pharma giant Eli Lilly and medical device maker Medtronic are to collaborate on the research and development of an implantable drug delivery system for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Teva resumes production at Irvine, CA facility

27-Apr-2011 - Teva has resumed production at its Irvine, California plant a year after quality control issues put production on hold.

News in brief

Sotax opens India unit

26-Apr-2011 - Tablet testing tech specialist Sotax has set up a new unit in India in the first stage of a five year plan to expand its business in the country.

Caliber opens world’s largest plant-based manufacturing facility

26-Apr-2011 - US-based vaccine specialist, Caliber Biotherapeutics, has opened the world’s largest modular, plant-made pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at its headquarters in Bryan, Texas.

Merck & Biogen to expand NC capabilities & add jobs

26-Apr-2011 - Biogen Idec and Merck & Co are expanding capabilities and adding jobs in Durham, North Carolina, US.

Gilead and MicroDose to develop new RSV treatment

21-Apr-2011 - Gilead has entered into a licence and collaboration agreement with drug delivery specialists MicroDose Therapeutx to develop a treatment for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Hebei Aoxing adopts new API processing technology

21-Apr-2011 - China-based Hebei Aoxing is to produce naloxone hydrochloride API after it successfully adopted new drug processing technology.

News in brief

Doe & Ingalls and BioVectra expand partnership

21-Apr-2011 - US-based chemical services provider Doe and Ingalls has renewed and expanded its partnership with BioVectra.

US-wide track-and-trace called for to pre-empt state laws

20-Apr-2011 - Pharma, distributors and dispensers have all called for a single, US-wide track-and-trace standard that pre-empts state laws.

News in brief

Sartorius launches device to cut and seal single-use tubes

20-Apr-2011 - Sartorius Stedim Biotech has launched a handheld device to aseptically cut and seal silicone tubing after fluid transfer.

People on the move: pharma jobs

20-Apr-2011 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at Raptor, Regulus, Novavax and Symphogen.

Organogenesis breaks ground on state-of-the-art facility

19-Apr-2011 - US-based tissue regeneration specialist, Organogensis, has broken ground on the construction of the world’s largest automated living cell manufacturing plant in Canton, Massachusetts.

WHO agreement improves global pandemic preparedness

19-Apr-2011 - The IFPMA has welcomed a WHO proposal to fund creation of extra vaccine production capacity to cope with global influenza epidemics.

News in brief

Chinese pharmaceutical company to buy local drug distributor

19-Apr-2011 - China-based Jiangbo Pharmaceutical is to acquire Shandog Xinkangqi Medical Company, a regional wholesale drug distributor in the Shandog Province.

Teva withdraws lansoprazole after tube blocking reports

18-Apr-2011 - Teva has withdrawn its lansoprazole delayed-release ODT formulation after reports it blocked oral syringes and feeding tubes.

Hikma invests in Mumbai-based Unimark Remedies

18-Apr-2011 - MENA-focused drug manufacturer, Hikma, has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian API and intermediates business, Unimark Remedies.

News in brief

Kazakhstan seeks production JVs with Indian pharma

18-Apr-2011 - Indian pharma companies are being encouraged to set up manufacturing facilities in Kazakhstan through joint ventures.

News in brief

Access inks RNAi delivery deal with major pharma

14-Apr-2011 - Access Pharmaceuticals’ targeted RNAi delivery technology will be used by a pharma major after the companies inked a deal.

West says Crystal Zenith syringe is solution to pharmas' glass delamination problem

14-Apr-2011 - West Pharmaceutical Services is preparing to increase its manufacturing capacity in response to an increased demand for its Daikyo Crystal Zenith 1mL syringe system.

Hamburg calls for more FDA powers to ensure drug quality

14-Apr-2011 - FDA Commissioner Hamburg has asked for more supply chain security and quality control regulatory powers.

Univar expands white oils capacity, predicts pharma demand

14-Apr-2011 - Univar has announced plans to ramp up capacity for medicinal white oils, predicting that increased regulatory focus on supply chain integrity will drive drug industry demand.

Dr Reddy’s opens new Chirotech Technology Centre in UK

13-Apr-2011 - Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has moved its UK subsidiary, Chirotech, to a new purpose built lab facility at the Cambridge Science Park.

FDA spared in cuts as Reps aim to boost oversight

13-Apr-2011 - New powers and a budget increase, despite cuts to government spending, have been proposed to help the FDA monitor the global supply chain.

People on the move: pharma jobs

13-Apr-2011 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including a new role for former Genzyme CEO and a leadership change at Astellas Europe.

News in brief

Monosol Rx gets US patent for drug films

12-Apr-2011 - Delivery technology firm Monosol Rx has been grated a US patent for production of pharmaceutical films containing certain antiemetics, analgesics and antiabetics.

Nano Terra puts pen to paper in deal for Surface Logix

12-Apr-2011 - Nano Terra, a surface engineering and nanotechnology company based in Brighton Massachusetts, US, has struck a deal to acquire neighbouring drug developer, Surface Logix.

Cherwell Labs expands UK media plant

12-Apr-2011 - Microbiology media maker Cherwell Laboratories has announced plans to expand its manufacturing capacity in response to growing industry demand for environmental monitoring products.

PanGen & Compass ink supply deal for biobetter APIs

12-Apr-2011 - PanGen Biotech is to supply Compass Biotechnologies with APIs for biobetters after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Bend Research receives polymer additives patent

11-Apr-2011 - Bend Research, the Oregon US-based drug manufacturer, has received a new US patent covering the use of polymer additives to help increase the efficacy of low-solubility drugs.

Amgen builds in Brazil with Bergamo buy and Hypermarcas deal

11-Apr-2011 - US drugmaker Amgen has acquired Brazilian manufacturer Bergamo in a bid to improve its access to ‘one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical markets in the world.”

Lonza & Roche ink bacteria detection kit deal

11-Apr-2011 - Lonza is selling MycoTOOL detection kits for final release testing after inking a distribution agreement with Roche.

LB Bohle sees increasing demand for ‘try before you buy’ demos

07-Apr-2011 - LB Bohle says healthy level of demand for processing technology demos at its recently opened service centre is an indication of processing tech market recovery.

Pharma and cosmetic sector demand drives Gerresheimer in Q1

07-Apr-2011 - Gerresheimer reported revenue growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, citing demand from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors as the key drivers.

News in brief

CCL boosts pharma labels biz with Thunder Press buy

07-Apr-2011 - CCL Industries has acquired US label company Thunder Press to expand its pharmaceutical inserts and outserts business.

QbD can help approval time & inspections; Genentech

07-Apr-2011 - Embedding QbD elements into drug development could make approval timelines and inspection success more predictable, say a Genentech team.

Fuisz develops easier to swallow dosage form

07-Apr-2011 - US delivery technology firm Fuisz Pharma has developed an oral dosage form with improved compliance characteristics.

Unilife ‘realigns’ operations to support Unifill production

06-Apr-2011 - Unilife has begun a ‘scheduled realignment’ of its operating infrastructure to support the production and sale of its Unifill prefilled syringe, according to a statement released by the company.

News in brief

USP launches database to tackle poor-quality drugs

06-Apr-2011 - The US Pharmacopeia (USP) has launched a free, public database of its drug testing to improve surveillance of poor-quality medicines.

FDA issues guidance on cross-contamination prevention

06-Apr-2011 - The FDA has released draft guidance on using separate facilities to prevent cross-contamination with non-penicillin beta lactam antibiotics.

Sepha unveils Visionscan device for tool-less blister pack leak detection

06-Apr-2011 - Sepha, the Belfast, Northern Ireland-based packaging machinery expert, has developed what it claims is the world’s first tool-less vision-based leak detection machine for blister-packs.

Pfizer to sell Capsugel for $2.4bn, no decision on other divestitures yet

05-Apr-2011 - Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has agreed to sell Capsugel, its drug delivery technology unit, to US investment group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) for $2.4bn (€1.7bn).

News in brief

Glycotope Biotechnology begins Ab plant expansion

05-Apr-2011 - Germany-based Glycotope Biotechnology has stated adding new cleanrooms at its antibody production facility in Heidelberg.

Romaco sold; new owners plan expansion and investment

05-Apr-2011 - Processing and packaging technology firm Romaco will be sold to German private equity group Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) for €61m (£86.5m).

People on the move: pharma jobs

05-Apr-2011 - in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at the MHRA, Daiichi, Eisai and Takeda.

BASF raises all API and excipient prices 10%

04-Apr-2011 - Chemicals supplier BASF has increased the price of all APIs and drug excipients by 10 per cent, citing higher costs

ATMI unveils helium integrity testing for bioprocess vessels at Interphex 2011

04-Apr-2011 - ATMI LifeSciences has introduced a new method of integrity testing for its range of single-use bioprocess vessels that, it claims, will take QA in the biomanufacturing sector to a new...

China’s booming pharma sector welcomes western investors

04-Apr-2011 - Double-digit growth in the Chinese pharmaceutical sector will increasingly make the nation a lucrative place for Western companies to do business, delegates heard at the InterPhex trade event in New...