Olympus introduces see-through silicon microscope

30-May-2008 - Microscopy giants Olympus have added a confocal laser scanning microscope to its ever expanding range packing this latest model with a 1310 nm laser that can image components encased within...

HHMI awards $600m to scientists with X-factor

30-May-2008 - A prominent medical institution is putting its money where its mouth is by providing $600m funding for high risk research to advance scientific discovery in biological fields that include microbiology,...

Canada to tighten up biosecurity laws with new bill

30-May-2008 - Canada has bought its laboratory legislation in line with other international standards as the country proposes new legislation designed to tighten safety and access to human pathogens and toxins.

Rigaku introduces first benchtop WD-XRF spectrometer

30-May-2008 - The world's first high-powered benchtop wavelength dispersive XRF spectrometer has been introduced as high-precision analysis at low concentration levels is now available to laboratories and research institutions.

Study hails amazing maize as future drug makers

30-May-2008 - A recently published study extolling the virtues of using maize to produce the next generation of drugs believes that AIDS sufferers could be the first to benefit if regulations can...

Drug delivery development news in brief

29-May-2008 - in-PharmaTechnologist's round-up of developments in the field of drug delivery, this week includes: Access' Cobalamin technology; AlphaRx' nanobiotics; Inovio's DNA delivery system; and PTG.

GM maize to tackle HIV

29-May-2008 - Genetically modified (GM) maize is the most effective biomanufacturing platform for the production of monoclonal antibodies to combat HIV, according to research published in PNAS.

Water the key to green pharmaceutical manufacturing

29-May-2008 - Adoption of a new chemical technique could make manufacturing a drug considerably more "green", according to research in Angewandte Chemie.  

Nigerian counterfeit drug seizure

29-May-2008 - A 20ft container of counterfeit pharmaceuticals has been impounded by the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Strong growth fuels ambition to expand at Neuland

29-May-2008 - India's Neuland Laboratories is expanding its service offering with a shift into contract research and clinical testing via a joint venture with Cato Research of the US.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: people on the move

28-May-2008 - in-PharmaTechnologist.com presents its periodic round-up of personnel changes in pharmaceutical manufacturing and development.

New production process advances Novavax's SARS vaccine

28-May-2008 - US-based Novavax has made advances in its attempt to develop a vaccine to combat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) by improving the production of a key component.

Cadmus to bring smart pharma packaging to US

28-May-2008 - Packaging and printing specialist Cadmus is to start making an intelligent pharmaceutical packaging with enhanced child-resistance for clients in US the drug industry.

Durect ramps up Remoxy manufacturing

28-May-2008 - Specialty pharmaceutical firm Durect has begun manufacturing the key components of Remoxy, ahead of a planned NDA filing.

IDMA warns of shortages unless drug prices are increased

28-May-2008 - The Indian Drug Manufacturer's Association (IDMA) believes that local firms may be forced to stop production of some medications in as little as two months unless national price restrictions are...

Pump-powered nebulizer for developing world

27-May-2008 - A pump-powered nebulizer for delivering vaccinations in the developing world is being worked on by researchers at Aerovax, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Artificial virus for 'tailor-made gene therapy'

27-May-2008 - An artificial self-assembling virus capable of serving as a drug delivery system has been created by researchers in Korea, according to a publication in Angewandte Chemie.

Outsourcing of production gaining pace in big pharma

27-May-2008 - Pharmaceutical manufacturers are now withdrawing from manufacturing at an unprecedented rate, with four of the top 10 players announcing major new outsourcing programmes in 2007, says IMS in a new...

Perrigo and Cobrek plan to develop generic Luxiq

27-May-2008 - Michigan-based drugmaker Perrigo and Cobrek Pharmaceuticals, a newly formed subsidiary of Pentech Pharmaceuticals, are teaming up to develop a range of topical generic products for the dermatology sector.

Elan may spin off contract manufacturing arm

27-May-2008 - Irish drugmaker Elan is considering a separate stock exchange listing for its contract services unit, Elan Drug Technology, according to comments by executives at its recent annual general meeting.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing News in Brief

26-May-2008 - in-PharmaTechnologist.com's periodic round-up of developments in the pharmaceutical manufacturing space includes one production deal, news on India's API sector and an update on Jubilant's move to acquire Draxis.

Generex set to start trials of metformin gum

26-May-2008 - Buccal drug delivery specialist Generex Biotechnology reports that the production of its chewing gum-based metformin, MetControl, has been completed ahead of forthcoming trials in patients with diabetes.

Prometheus fires pellets for colon treatment

26-May-2008 - Prometheus Laboratories has initiated US Phase II trials of Colal-Pred, a treatment for ulcerative colitis which uses Alizyme's drug delivery technology to provide therapeutics solely to the colon.

ThalesNano and Sanofi to examine process chemistry

26-May-2008 - Process chemistry specialist ThalesNano and Sanofi-aventis R&D are teaming up to examine the development and implementation of continuous process technologies in the latter's manufacturing facilities.

FDA & EMEA to increase cooperation

26-May-2008 - The Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) has set out its vision of how increased cooperation between the US and European Union can improve the pharmaceutical regulatory process.

Invitrogen venture further into cell therapy with new unit

23-May-2008 - Invitrogen has announced the creation of a new business unit that aims to further integrate its presence within the cell therapy market, as it aims to stamp its authority specifically...

US Senate to consider extra $400m for NIH

23-May-2008 - The repercussions of America's foreign policy on science research were partially addressed this week as the Senate looked to top up the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) 2008 budget by $400m.

Innovatis on the case with CASY cell counters

23-May-2008 - Cell culture analysis specialists, Innovatis makes available a new range of bench-top systems that boasts a standardised cell counting and analysis of the quality of cell culture samples in as...

Rentschler and Boeh Ingelheim ink biopharma partnership

22-May-2008 - Germany's Rentschler Biotechnologie and Boehringer Ingelheim have inked a preferred partnership agreement to jointly offer customers a more streamlined biopharmaceutical production option.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: people on the move

22-May-2008 - in-PharmaTechnologist.com presents its periodic round-up of personnel changes in pharmaceutical manufacturing and development.

Alcan's StabilitySolutions raise the high-barrier benchmark

22-May-2008 - The new StabilitySolutions line of high-barrier plastic bottles aims to set new standards for pharmaceutical packaging, according to its developer.

MHRA responds to EU counterfeiting measures

22-May-2008 - UK governmental body the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued its response to the European Commission's proposals to tackle counterfeiting.

Archimedes licenses chitosan from Ploughshare

22-May-2008 - Archimedes Development, a subsidiary of Archimedes Pharma, expects that the intellectual property it has licensed from fellow UK firm Ploughshare Innovations will help extend the application of its ChiSys drug...

Biotech acquisitions scale new heights

21-May-2008 - Big pharma's lust for biotech's pipelines appears to be continuing unabated with a record $27bn-worth of acquisitions and licensing deals being made last year.

UK firm developing nasal MRSA gel

21-May-2008 - XF-73, a new gel-based bacteriocidal drug being developed by UK biotechnology firm Destiny Pharma, could represent a significant advance in the battle against bacterial resistance.

Gerresheimer on track to sell off technical plastics

21-May-2008 - Germany's Gerresheimer has now finished all the preparatory work required for the sale of its technical plastics division and will start the process of finding a buyer shortly.

$80bn Indian mega-hub proposed

21-May-2008 - The Indian government is close to rubber-stamping an $80bn industrial hub near Vishakhapatnam (Vizag) which is expected to attract pharmaceutical companies to the region.

Scientific Labs banned from making drugs by FDA

20-May-2008 - The FDA has issued US drug maker Scientific Laboratories with an injunction preventing it from producing drugs until manufacturing operations are brought up to code.

Contract manufacturing news in brief

20-May-2008 - Cambridge Major Laboratories, VGX Pharmaceuticals, Xcelience and Dr Reddy's Laboratories have all recently announced new contract manufacturing news.

CML to begin work on $30m API plant

20-May-2008 - Cambridge Major Laboratories (CML) says that it will begin construction of its new $30m (€19.2m) high tech API prodcution facility in June.

32,000 French pharmaceutical jobs at risk

20-May-2008 - A grim future awaits workers in the French pharmaceutical industry, with 32,000 jobs at risk between 2005 and 2015, according to a study commissioned by Leem, the French pharmaceutical industry body.

40% of EU counterfeit drug seizures of Swiss origin

20-May-2008 - The European Union's 2007 pharmaceutical counterfeiting data shows that almost 40 per cent of fake medicines seized by the EU originated in Switzerland.

West looks ahead to healthier 2008

20-May-2008 - Packaging component manufacturer West Pharmaceutical Services has shrugged off the after-effects of a difficult 2007 with an increase in revenues in the first quarter of 2008 that came ahead of analyst estimates.

Weekly comment

Pharma must adapt to emerging markets

19-May-2008 - Pharmaceutical companies are having to radically change their practices when it comes to tackling emerging markets such as China, India, Russia and Brazil, according to IMS.

Tongjitang stops production at earthquake hit plant

19-May-2008 - Tongjitang Chinese Medicines, which produces traditional treatments, has stopped manufacturing operations at its facility in Guiyang, Guizhou province due to damage caused by the recent earthquake.

BASF doubles certain alkylethonalamine production

19-May-2008 - Germany-based chemical company BASF has committed itself to doubling its manufacturing capacity for certain alkylethonalamines by mid 2009.

Pfizer closes plant earmarked for Exubera

19-May-2008 - Pfizer is planning to close its Terre Haute, Indiana manufacturing facility which had received $300m of investment to prepare it for Exubera production.

SynCo completes production of AG011 for Ph II trials

19-May-2008 - SynCo Bio Partners has completed production of AG011 for ActoGenIX, enabling the latter firm to begin examining it in patients suffering from ulcerative colitis (UC).

Bio-Rad adds real-time PCR to its range

16-May-2008 - Bio-Rad unleashes its new real-time PCR detection system to the scientific community that aims to make genetic research less laborious by introducing unique features to aid real-time PCR experiments to...

BD purchases cell sorting tool firm

16-May-2008 - Becton Dickinson (BD) revealed this week that it has purchased all of the outstanding stock of Cytopeia, which produces advanced flow cytometry cell sorting instruments. The acquisition further expands BD's...

Round up of manufacturing news

15-May-2008 - This year's Interpack exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany saw the launch of a range of new packaging, analytical and manufacturing solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.

EFPIA sparks drug repackaging debate with counterfeiting claim

15-May-2008 - The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) has called for a ban on the repackaging of medicines as part of a "zero tolerance" approach to the growing problem...

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: people on the move

15-May-2008 - in-PharmaTechnologist.com presents its periodic round-up of personnel changes in pharmaceutical manufacturing and development.

SFDA crackdown to get house in order

15-May-2008 - The Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has revealed plans to tighten the drug registration review process as it attempts to improve standards in the nation.

Bushu business booming as Japan outsourcing roused

15-May-2008 - Bushu Pharmaceuticals, Japan's largest dedicated contract manufacturer, has been going from strength to strength as Japan's pharma outsourcing industry awakens.

Chesapeake restructures and exits Brussels

14-May-2008 - Another difficult quarter for US-based packaging company Chesapeake has seen it make plans to close its factory in Brussels, Belgium.

Super yeast promises 300x more protein production

14-May-2008 - Creation of complex therapeutic proteins appears to have taken a sizeable step forward after researchers increased production levels 300-fold.

ORF Genetics' $1m geothermal plant

14-May-2008 - The opening of ORF Genetics' $1m production site for recombinant proteins in Grindavik, Iceland, is yet another groundbreaking move by this year's winner of the Icelandic Centre for Research's innovation...

IMS sets out top 10 strategic issues facing pharma industry

14-May-2008 - IMS has identified 10 critical developments in 2007 that could have a fundamental effect on the operating environment for pharmaceutical companies in the coming years.

Weekly comment

Japan's contract manufacturing awakening

13-May-2008 - 2005 marked the real beginning of contract manufacturing in Japan, which had been held back by an overly-cautious regulatory environment and significant and unique quality and specification demands in the marketplace.

Agilent expands oligo drug production capacity

13-May-2008 - Agilent's purchase of DowPharma's Nucleic Acid Medicines business is the second time in recent years that the US scientific measurements specialist has ramped-up its nucleic acid manufacturing capabilities.

China set to become fourth IPEC region

13-May-2008 - China is on course to having its own version of the International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council - joining its fellow organisations in Europe, the Americas and Japan.

Pharmaceutical excipients roundup

13-May-2008 - In-PharmaTechnologist's periodic round-up of events in the pharmaceutical excipient space includes one product launch and two regulatory developments.

Biovail to close Puerto Rican plants

13-May-2008 - Canada-based Biovail has revealed plans to close two Puerto Rican manufacturing plants and lay off 250 people as it attempts to cut costs.

Generic Plavix opens door for API manufacturers

13-May-2008 - Switzerland-based Schweizerhall appears to have circumnavigated patent law, with approval of its generic version of Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BSM) and Sanofi-Aventis' Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate) in Germany "expected shortly".

Hospira faces $35m charge over Morgan Hill plans

12-May-2008 - The decision to end manufacturing operations at its facility in Morgan Hill, California in the next three years may cost Hospira up to $35m (€22.7m), according to a document the...

Cambrex profits climb despite sales drop

12-May-2008 - Cambrex has experienced a jump in profitability for the first quarter 2008, despite a decrease in sales, assisted by previous cost-cutting initiatives.

Eisai establishes new machinery subsidiary in China

12-May-2008 - With its new Eisai Machinery Shanghai (EMS) subsidiary, Eisai is hoping to increase both its sales and manufacturing support presence in China.

Researchers find route to rapid antibodies

12-May-2008 - Researchers have discovered a method of producing human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in just a few weeks, as opposed to three months using traditional techniques.

Japan needs innovation to maintain pharma foothold

12-May-2008 - Although Japan's pharma market sits in firm second position on the global stage, the country's foothold is slipping as other more innovative countries grasp for a greater presence.

Long-term worries as Applied Bio posts flat Q3

09-May-2008 - Applied Biosystems (ABI) reported slight revenue rises in its third quarter performance, but long term, the lab firm acknowledged its instrument arm had been negatively affected by a weakened pharmaceutical...

Novel method speeds up HTS imaging analysis

09-May-2008 - Scientists have uncovered a technique that significantly shortens the automation time for a particular method that analyses cell cultures and other biologically important specimens.

Bioprocessing holds back Millipore in Q1

07-May-2008 - Continued weakness in the market for products used in the manufacture of biologic drugs was the main reason why Millipore experienced a 'challenging' quarter, according to CEO Martin Madaus.

Goodwin completes late-stage clinical expansion

07-May-2008 - Goodwin Biotechnology has announced that it has finally completed the construction of its expanded manufacturing facilities, which were 10 years in the planning.

Device to 'revolutionise' inhaled drug testing

07-May-2008 - UK-based Cambridge Consultants has developed a portable instrument which it says could "revolutionise" the way airborne drug delivery devices are tested.

Pfizer to build 190m Irish biologics plant

07-May-2008 - Pfizer's plans for a new €190m manufacturing plant in Shanbally, Ireland suggest that the firm is intent on fulfilling its pledge to become a "top five biologics producer in the...

Strong sales at Teva's API division

07-May-2008 - Teva's sales of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for the first quarter of 2008 rose by 51 per cent on the previous years figure, taking to total to $510m.

GEA hopes for top Performa with new tablet press

06-May-2008 - GEA Pharma Systems believes that its new Performa P system, which was presented at this year's Interpack conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, can help increase output and reduce costs for tablet...

Double-strength digoxin recalled in US

06-May-2008 - A heart medication sold by Mylan Laboratories in the US has had to be recalled, after it emerged that some doses may contain twice the intended dose of active ingredient.

Voxels offer targeted drug delivery breakthrough

06-May-2008 - US scientists have developed a system of 'microcontainers' that one day could enable the simultaneous and targeted delivery of a range of drug dosages in a single injection.

Chesapeake facility first in China to gain PS9000:2001

06-May-2008 - US-based Chesapeake's manufacturing facility in Kunshan, China has become the first pharmaceutical packaging plant in the nation to receive the PS9000:2001 certification.

IMA records boost in profits

05-May-2008 - Italy-based IMA has posted a 30.3 per cent increase in net operating profit for the 2007 calendar year, taking the total to $108m.

Merck warned by FDA over vaccine plant failings

05-May-2008 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent Merck & Co a warning letter saying it has failed to correct a number of manufacturing deficiencies at its main vaccine...

Contract manufacturing news in brief

05-May-2008 - QSV Biologics, SynCo Bio Partners and the American Peptide Company have all recently announced new contract manufacturing news.

AM Technology's continuous reactor a 'beautiful solution'

05-May-2008 - UK-based AM Technology has developed the Coflore Agitated Cell Reactor (ACR) which it claims offers significant advantages over traditional continuous stirred tank reactors.

Watson's OAI lifted and Goa manufacturing transfer on track

05-May-2008 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn its long-standing block on the manufacture of new products at Watson Pharmaceuticals' facility in Davie, Florida.