Breaking News on Pharmaceutical Technology
All news articles > August 2006
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31-Aug-2006
IMA's order book packs in more sales
The recovery that has taken packaging and processing machinery company IMA to profitability in 2006 has continued, helped by new opportunities in the biotech sector and a strong growth in generics.
ZymoGenetics stings Bristol-Myers Squibb with patent lawsuit
Seattle drug firm ZymoGenetics has taken Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) to court for infringement of its fusion protein technology patents by several products, including arthritis medication Orencia (abatacept).
Maryland mulls 'vaccine manufacturing capital of the world' dream
Bruised by Novartis's snub over a $600m (€466m) vaccine plant, Maryland has commissioned a study on what more the state can do to attract a major cell culture vaccine manufacturing facility there.
30-Aug-2006
Erbitux' success leads to 190m plant for Merck KGaA
Germany's Merck has announced its biggest investment in pharmaceuticals in its 338-year-old history, as its top-selling oncology drug Erbitux (cetuximab) has driven the company to allocate €190m for the construction of its first biopharmaceutical production plant at its headquarters in Darmstadt.
FDA's thumbs up to PFI reverberates through outsourcing industry
In the first drug master file (DMF) approval of its kind, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of metformin hydrochloride tablets which are produced by an Indian company using a pharmaceutical formulation intermediate (PFI), an alternative to sourcing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) which could revolutionalise the conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing model.
Mylan in India's biggest pharmaceutical takeover as it enters the Matrix
US generic drugmaker Mylan has agreed to spend around $736m (€573.4m) to acquire a controlling stake in Matrix, an Indian manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and solid oral dosage forms, as relentless competition continues to fuel consolidation in the generic industry.
Scientists target receptors in new anthrax treatment
Scientists believe they have discovered a novel way in treating people suffering from anthrax poisoning, which could overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance that is becoming increasingly common in southern and Eastern Europe and Africa.
29-Aug-2006
Novozymes quenches biopharma thirst down under
Industrial enzyme maker Novozymes is seeking to strengthen its presence in the biopharmaceutical market by offering to acquire Australian biotechnology firm Gropep for AUD83.6m (€49.6m), eager to become a supplier of recombinant ingredients for the biopharmaceutical industry.
Altus and Althea pair up
Biopharmaceutical firm Altus has asked contract manufacturer Althea to produce Phase III quantities of a crystallised formulation of human growth hormone (hGH) which can be administered subcutaneously weekly instead of daily.
Patheon breaks into drug delivery
Canadian contract manufacturer Patheon has teamed up with specialty pharmaceutical firm Depomed to offer its clients a controlled release formulation which can grant their drugs increased bioavailability and less frequent dosing.
25-Aug-2006
New protein discovery gives hope to bowel disease sufferers
Researchers have identified a protein that is thought to defend the intestinal against microbial invaders offering new insights into how the intestine fends off pathogens and potentially leading to new inflammatory bowel disease medications.
24-Aug-2006
Pharmacists want manufacturers to sort out their tablets
Difficulties in identifying tablets have emerged as a major issue in a recent US survey of 150 pharmacists who are warning drugmakers that the lack of distinct appearance in pills leads in dispensing errors that cost more than 7,000 lives each year just in US hospitals.
Teva axes Ivax' Puerto Rico facility
Looking for $45m (€35m) in savings, Teva has decided to abandon its drug manufacturing plant in Cidra, Puerto Rico, as it scrambles to adjust capacity seven months after its acquisition of Ivax.
NPIL expands high potency API facility in Scotland
Strong demand for anti-cancer cytotoxic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) has led Nicholas Piramal (NPIL) Pharma to upgrade infrastructure and hire more staff at its high potency substances (HPS) facility in Grangemouth.
23-Aug-2006
Consumables and contract manufacturing the drivers of the bioprocessing industry
Despite its consolidation, the competitive consumable sector still offers potential for rapid growth and better profits in the biopharmaceutical industry, while contract bioprocessing services will be increasingly in demand, according to a new market report by D&MD Publications titled "The Bioprocessing Industry - Increasing Capacity, Production, and Efficiency."
Researchers show efficacy of first Staph drug for decades
Researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of a new drug for treating infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria representing the first drug of its kind to be FDA approved in two decades.
Merck offers first glimpse of $300m vaccine plant
For the first time Merck has opened the doors of its under-construction manufacturing plant in North Carolina to public officials, boasting it will eventually contribute about two-thirds of its annual live-virus vaccine production.
Rexam's Indian pharma packaging dreams come true
Rexam, the world's largest beverage can maker, has bought Indian pharmaceutical packaging firm Truepack for £5m (€7.3m), hungry for a slice of the country's growing pharma market.
22-Aug-2006
New patent strengthens Generex' oral insulin spray
Generex has registered a new patent in the US that covers broad claims for the delivery of macromolecules via the buccal cavity of the mouth, further safeguarding its RapidMist drug delivery technology which it uses to spray insulin into the mouth.
Plant survey: Performance gaps of drug manufacturers exposed
A survey of eleven production plants of major drugmakers has revealed considerable variation in capacity utilisation, with the top performers being those who embrace automation and spend little on non-core activities.
Wanted: science and business journalists
As it continues to expand, Decision News Media is currently seeking two new journalists to join its Pharmaceutical & Science News Group in Central London.
Emergent BioSolutions flaunts $75m anthrax vaccine production facility
Buoyed by lucrative biodefense contracts, Emergent BioSolutions has showcased a new large-scale vaccine production facility in Michigan which it will use to make Biothrax, the only vaccine approved in the US for the prevention of anthrax infection.
21-Aug-2006
Novartis seeks to patch up Alzheimer's drug delivery
Patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease are one step closer to receiving Novartis's Exelon as a transdermal patch instead of a capsule following an international clinical study which showed that the new delivery method reduces side effects without compromising on efficacy.
Pearlescent pigments may help halt counterfeiting, says Merck KGaA
Newly-approved pearlescent pigments that can produce sparkly metallic, satiny and shimmery finishes on drug coatings could be used as one additional step in the fight against counterfeiting, say its developers, EMD Chemicals - part of part of German drug giant Merck.
Byetta supply recovers on the back of Baxter production
A cartridge shortage that forced Amylin and Eli Lilly to ask 40,000 physicians in the US to stop prescribing their injectable diabetes drug Byetta to new patients has come to an end thanks to a boost in production by contract manufacturer Baxter.
17-Aug-2006
AMRI fishes manufacturing contract in New River
Albany Molecular Research (AMRI) has announced a multi-year drug substance manufacturing agreement with New River Pharmaceuticals, as its attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicine looks set to hit the market.
Pearlescent pigments may help halt counterfeiting, says Merck
Newly-approved pearlescent pigments that can produce sparkly metallic, satiny and shimmery finishes on drug coatings could be used as one additional step in the fight against counterfeiting, say its developers, EMD Chemicals - part of part of German drug giant Merck.
Dendreon completes plant for world-first cancer vaccine
Dendreon has finished the construction of its New Jersey manufacturing facility which it will use to produce its investigational active cellular immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer, hoping to be the first to bring it to patients.
FDA under pressure to 'open the floodgates' for biogenerics
Spurred on by the frustration of drug manufacturers, governors from four US states have petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clarity in their requirements for the production of generic versions of insulin and human growth hormone (hGH), the first step to opening the market up to generic biopharmaceuticals.
16-Aug-2006
Packaging belongs to manufacturers says trade body
US manufacturers must stop shipping prescription drugs in bulk containers, leaving pharmacies to repackage them, as this practice makes the supply chain more vulnerable and leads to medication errors, the Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council (HCPC) has warned.
Merck 'delayed or impeded' probe into release from production plant
Pennsylvania environmental regulators have accused Merck of hampering their investigation of a chemical discharge from its West Point facility that resulted in a major fish kill on the local creek and threatened the water supplies for the city of Philadelphia.
European inhaled insulin market to explode
The convenience of non-invasive insulin delivery methods is set to overcome their high cost and concerns about safety and efficacy, with the greatest beneficiary being the European inhaled insulin market which is predicted to swell from $49.3m (€38.5m) in 2006 to $611.7m in 2012, according to two new market reports from Frost & Sullivan.
15-Aug-2006
Researchers identify potential new RA pathway
Biogen has revealed details of a potential new pathway in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that could provide unique insights into the disease process and eventually a new approach to developing RA therapies.
Manufacturing double whammy to cost Patheon millions
More problems at Patheon's Puerto Rican production facilities in the third quarter of 2006 are expected to reduce the contract manufacturer's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) by more than $9m (€7m) compared to last year, forcing it to negotiate its credit agreement with its lenders.
Embrex helps Chinese vaccine producer not to lay an egg
Agricultural firm Embrex has installed its in ovo delivery system and egg remover at the production facility of Shenzhen Neptunus Interlong, believed to be the largest and most advanced human influenza vaccine manufacturing plant in China.
India geared up for unprecedented manufacturing growth
India's potential to further boost its already dominant role in global generics production, as well as an offshore location of choice for contract manufacturing, presents an opportunity worth an estimated $48bn (€38bn) in 2007, though regulatory reforms and improved intellectual property rights are needed if its domestic market is to be tapped, a new report from KPMG suggests.
14-Aug-2006
Genzyme given green light to make kidney drug at Irish plant
US biotech firm Genzyme has been given a green light by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin manufacturing its kidney drug at its Waterford facility in Ireland.
FDA cracks down on the unauthorised production of inhalation drugs
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has censured three American national pharmacies for using the traditional practice of compounding as a ruse in order to operate as drug manufacturers, producing thousands of unapproved copies of commercially available nebuliser medications that do not meet good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards.
Defence peptide forms basis for new HIV drug
Researchers have theorised that a peptide found in primates could halt the HIV-1 virus from infecting blood cells. The discovery could form the crux of an effective drug therapy, which may overcome resistance exhibited by current treatment use.
IBM pushes RFID for pharma
IBM has unveiled a radio frequency identification (RFID) system for the tracking and tracing of pharmaceuticals, confident it will accelerate the adoption of the technology by the drug industry.
11-Aug-2006
In-vitro genotoxicity proves viable alternative to animal testing
Gentronix has been granted a research award, which is to fund a potentially viable alternative to animal testing, reducing the need for their use during drug development.
10-Aug-2006
Lonza losing out to Asian competition
While Lonza's biopharmaceutical business has taken off, tough competition from cheap Asian competitors is eating away at its exclusive synthesis business - meanwhile, the whole business is being hit by rising raw material and energy costs.
Seeing through formulation problems
Drug manufacturers are increasingly turning to specialised providers of analytical services for the solid state characterisation of their formulations, seeking answers to processing issues, drug delivery challenges and even protecting drug patents.
Changing a drug to match a drug delivery technology
When selecting a pharmaceutical formulation, the conventional wisdom has been to manipulate a drug delivery platform to make it compatible with a drug's properties, yet the opposite approach may have several benefits if enough thought is put into it early in the development process, according to Brookwood's chief scientific officer.
09-Aug-2006
EU pharma manufacturers face increased costs under new customs restrictions
Pharmaceutical manufacturers will be among a number of exporters and importers operating within the EU that face paying tens of millions of euros to comply with a new regulation aimed at reducing terrorism, fraud and counterfeit products.
Manufacturing affects protein performance
The excipients used in a protein formulation and the method of production can impact not just the physical and chemical stability of biologics but also their in vitro and in vivo performance, cautions Durect's executive director of biopharmaceutical R&D.
Pharma industry to drive activated carbon growth
The global demand for virgin activated carbon is tipped to rise five per cent per year to reach 1.2m metric tons by 2010, fuelled by increased use in the pharmaceutical sector.
DNA hunt uncovers important target gene
In their hunt for DNA that is amplified in cancers, researchers have discovered a new cancer-promoting role for a gene that has been shown to transform mammary epithelial cells into cancerous ones.
08-Aug-2006
New two-fluid nozzle for inhaled drug production
Niro Pharma Systems has launched a new spray-drying nozzle to produce commercial quantities of fine powder drugs for inhalation.
When fine chemical firms flirt with drug delivery
Pharmaceutical excipients can have a profound impact on the release profile of drugs, driving fine chemical companies to raise their game since they realise their clients see excipients as more than inactive ingredients.
West profits surge; Exubera contract gains momentum
West Pharmaceutical Services has reported a huge surge in both sales and profits for its second quarter, spurred on by the increasing demand for injectable drugs as well as the lucrative Exubera manufacturing contract, which helped double sales for the segment, although failed to stop a fall in profit margin.
07-Aug-2006
Scaling up for commercialisation
Failure to get it right in designing and implementing a manufacturing process results in the loss of time and money, but the risk of this can be minimised if some basic organisational steps are followed, argues Brookwood's director of manufacturing.
Nanogen and Fisher Scientific expand molecular diagnostics deal
Nanogen and Fisher Scientific have announced an expansion to their relationship to include a research and development collaboration in molecular diagnostics. The collaboration agreement complements Fisher's equity investment in Nanogen announced in March 2006.
Nanogen and Fisher Scientific expand molecular diagnostics deal
Nanogen and Fisher Scientific have announced an expansion to their relationship to include a research and development collaboration in molecular diagnostics. The collaboration agreement complements Fisher's equity investment in Nanogen announced in March 2006.
Steritool launches cleanroom-friendly crowbar
Steritool has launched the world's first crowbar made entirely of stainless steel - designed to serve in zero-particulate environments and eliminate contamination.
Merck Sharp & Dohme Singapore investment tops S$1bn
Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) has invested $100m to expand its manufacturing plant in Singapore, bringing the drug giant's investment in this budding region to over S$1bn (€0.5bn).
03-Aug-2006
Cambrex yet to stem Biopharma bleed
Cambrex's Q2 results show that the life sciences firm is slowly making a comeback after being crushed by a $140.3m (€116.7m) loss in Q4, however, it has failed to completely stem the bleed from its Biopharma unit, blamed for much of the company's woes.
Is big pharma killing innovation in drug formulation? - GSK defends the industry
Are big pharma companies uninterested in supporting novel formulations, preferring to stick to low-risk drug delivery systems, or are they resourceful innovators that bring new technologies to the market? Two pharma grandees holding opposite views battled it out at the Controlled Release Society's annual meeting in Vienna.
The whole nine yards in drug delivery development
More and more drugmakers are turning to health care companies not just for their drug delivery technologies but also for their regulatory and manufacturing expertise, asking them to take their product from early stages all the way to post-approval.
02-Aug-2006
CHDI and Edison target therapy for Huntington's
CHDI and Edison Pharmaceuticals have entered into alliance that looks to develop effective therapeutics in targeting Huntingdon's disease - a disorder that currently has no way to stop or reverse the its progression.
Nektar abandons UK operations
Nektar Therapeutics has closed its processing plant in Bradford, UK as it shifts its focus to developing its own drug products using its own drug delivery technology.
FDA moves to quell claims over conflict of interest
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will beef up its process for disclosing the conflicts of interest of its advisory experts in a bid to restore its reputation after a survey suggests its scientists may be too closely tied with the drug industry and scientific evidence is being "suppressed and manipulated."
The challenges of protein formulation
Even with the most advanced analytical equipment, elucidating the complete conformational characteristics of proteins still represents mission impossible, often making their formulation problematic, yet there are always ways to improve their pharmacokinetic properties, according to Octoplus's chief scientific officer.
01-Aug-2006
India's pharma market says: "Enter the Dragon"
Chinese company Dragon International has fought its way into its first packaging materials distribution deal in the burgeoning Indian pharmaceutical market.
Overcoming bottlenecks in the manufacturing of biologics
Most pharmaceutical companies know little about how to make biopharmaceuticals on a large scale and so they need to develop in-house expertise as well as outsource several steps in their production chain, advises the head of chemistry and production at Genzyme Pharmaceuticals.
FDA red-faced over claims it is suppressing evidence
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been left red-faced after a survey recently released by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), found a "disturbing level of interference in the agency's research".
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