Breaking News on Pharmaceutical Technology

Israeli court rules against “disingenuous” Taro

The Tel-Aviv District Court has found in favour of Sun Pharmaceuticals in its long running struggle to acquire Israeli drug and pharmaceutical ingredient maker Taro Pharmaceutical Industries.

Codexis and Arch prepare for generic Lipitor market

Codexis and Arch Pharmalabs’ expanded supply and development deal will see the latter produce APIs used in the manufacture of atorvastatin, principal component of Pfizer’s cholesterol buster Lipitor.

Boehringer hooks up with Chinese API firm

Boehringer Ingelheim has formed a strategic production alliance with Chinese manufacturer Hisoar, significantly expanding its worldwide API network.

Pharma manufacturing: people on the move

in-PharmaTechnologist.com presents its latest round-up of personnel changes in the pharmaceutical sector.

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Equateq bullish about lipid API market

A facility operated by fatty acid specialist Equateq on the island of Lewis in Scotland has met with UK good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards for the production of lipid-based APIs for the drug industry.

FDA warns Sandoz on unvalidated manufacturing

The FDA says that Sandoz, the generics arm of Swiss drug major Novartis, failed to validate manufacturing processes used to produce metoprolol succinate ER tablets at its plant in Wilson, North Carolina.

Daewoong to sell Eurand’s cyclobenzaprine ER

Drug delivery specialist Eurand is to begin supplying its extended release formulation of cyclobenzaprine HCl to South Korea’s Daewoong Pharmaceuticals.

Funding imminent for versatile drug delivery tech

NanoBio is believed to be on the verge of securing funding to continue developing its NanoStat drug delivery platform.

Pharma manufacturing products: news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com’s latest round up of products launched in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector includes new offerings from innovatis, Stäubli, GE and Sterilin.

Second Daytrana recall as liner problems continue

Shire and Noven have voluntarily withdrawn batches of the ADHD drug Daytrana for the second time in 12 months due to ongoing problems with the product’s release liner.

Abbott and Pfizer shed jobs as Gilead plans growth

in-PharmaTechnologist.com’s periodic round-up of employment developments in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry includes news on Abbott, Pfizer, Gilead and Clarcor.

Drug delivery penetrates mucus barrier

Researchers claim to have developed a drug delivery system capable of passing through the mucus barrier, which had previously been impenetrable to therapeutics.

FDA seizes drugs worth $74,000

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered the seizure of $74,000 worth of Xiadafil VIP tablets after SEI Pharmaceuticals refused to withdraw them from the market.

Crossing the BBB for treating Parkinson’s

US-based biotech ArmaGen Technologies has received funding from the Michael J Fox Foundation (MJFF) for the development of its drug delivery technology.

Unraveling the stabilisation of proteins

Evaluating the sugars used to stabilise proteins will be faster, cheaper and more efficient thanks to new technology, claim researchers.

New MRI platform makes PharmaSense

OIMBL’s PharmaSense is a versatile MRI tool that allows drugmakers to assess tablet dynamics and potentially improve API delivery, according to company managing director Frank Trundle.

Producing heparin without the heartache

US researchers have developed a chemoenzymatic strategy to synthesise the anticoagulant drug heparin and avoid the contaminant that has killed more than 80 people.

NJ and the shifting landscape of pharma employment

People employed in the pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey, USA fell by one per cent in 2007, according to a report by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ).

FDA clears APP’s Barceloneta plant

APP Pharmaceuticals, currently the sole supplier of therapeutic heparin vials to the US market, has received FDA approval to manufacture three new formulations of the blood-thinner at its plant in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico.

USP opens its first site in Brazil

The US Pharmacopeia (USP) has continued to expand its global reach by opening a site in São Paulo, Brazil; its first in Latin America.

Counterfeits take chunk out of TCM sales

The impact counterfeit pharmaceuticals can have on a company’s sales has been highlighted by Tongjitang Chinese Medicines’ (TCM) second quarter results.

Conformia’s platform combined with IBM system

Conformia says that the integration of its SOA data platform into IBM’s system will provide drugmakers with robust management architecture for the entire lifecycle of a product.

Mallinckrodt and Rubicon to develop PanExcea

CRO Rubicon Research and chemicals manufacturer Mallinckrodt Baker are teaming up to develop the PanExcea excipient range, which was launched by the latter firm’s parent company Covidien in July.

Manufacturing facility news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com's round-up of developments in pharmaceutical manufacturing features news of SAFC’s new highly potent API plant, ISPE’s Facility of the Year Awards and Israel’s proposed entry into PIC/S.

Vaccine sales help Crucell cut Q2 loss

An increase in the sale of vaccines such as Quinvaxem and Epaxal, helped Dutch drugmaker Crucell reduce its loss some 56 per cent to €7.9m ($12.5m) in the second quarter.

Genentech rejects Roche but leaves door ajar

Genentech’s special advisory committee has rejected Roche’s $44bn offer for the biotech believing that it “substantially undervalues” the company.

DSM and MorphoSys add MOR202 to Ab deal

US-based DSM Biologics and MorphoSys are teaming up to manufacture the MOR202 antibody, which has shown considerable promise as a treatment for multiple myeloma (MM).

Pharmaceutical packaging news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com’s latest round up of developments in the field of pharmaceutical packaging includes 3S’ counterfeit solution and new machines for Xcelience and Medica.

Siemens building radiopharma sites in India

Siemens has outlined plans to establish itself as a leading provider of radiopharmaceuticals in India through the construction of numerous manufacturing facilities.

Insurance policy could ease pharma’s fears

An insurance policy intended to cover against the pitfalls faced by pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors has been launched by Lloyds’ underwriter Kiln and broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT).

Pharma manufacturing products: news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com’s latest round up of products launched in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector includes new offerings from Millipore, Sensor Products and Aspex.

GM-yeast used as BIA biofactories

Researchers claim to have facilitated the development and manufacture of a wide range of alkaloids using genetically modified yeast.

Drug delivery news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist’s latest round up of developments in the field of drug delivery includes Cosmo gaining a US patent, Alchemy’s nasal delivery device and the use of plant viruses in nanotechnology.

Pfizer to lose top spot by 2014

A new report predicts that current global sales leader Pfizer will relinquish its position by 2014 leaving European pharmaceutical producers like Roche and Sanofi-Aventis free to vie for the top spot.

FDA refining nanotechnology guidance

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking feedback from the pharmaceutical industry to develop the recommendations of the Nanotechnology Task Force.

Manufacturing facility news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com's round-up of developments in the pharmaceutical manufacturing space features news of TGA approval for Capsugel’s plant, Spain’s first therapeutic protein plant and Isogen setting up in Delaware.

Biotech API sector set for growth

The gulf in rates of growth between emerging and established markets in the biotech active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sector has been highlighted in a new report from the Chemical Pharmaceutical Generic Association (CPA).

West’s Q2 sales and profits climb

US packaging specialist West Pharmaceutical Services has carried the earnings momentum it generated in the first three months of the year through to the second quarter.

Pharmaceutical packaging news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com presents its periodic round-up of developments in pharmaceutical packaging, including Comar’s new dosage cup and Arcadia’s system for increasing patient compliance.

Rough quarter for Ampac Fine Chemicals

Ampac Fine Chemicals has posted disappointing results for the third quarter of its fiscal year, which saw operating income slump from $5m to $0.6m.

Gerresheimer kicks off technical plastics sale

Gerresheimer has formally started the process to sell off its technical plastics business, keeping its promise to exit non-core businesses and focus on more lucrative sectors such as medical and pharmaceutical plastics.

Lonza opens Guangzhou engineering services unit

Lonza hopes that the new business it has set up in China will help cement its position as a leading provider of services to the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

APC parent to be bought by Otsuka Chemical

US protein manufacture and development services provider American Peptide Company (APC) says that its parent company, Ito Life Sciences (ILS), is to be acquired by fellow Japanese firm Otsuka Chemical.

Actavis recalls all drugs made at New Jersey plant

Generic drugmaker Actavis Totowa has voluntarily recalled all drugs produced at its Little Falls, New Jersey manufacturing facility after an FDA inspection uncovered several breaches of current GMP codes.

Millipore’s bioprocess woes mar otherwise positive Q2

The lacklustre performance of Millipore’s bioprocess division has continued into the second quarter of the year with revenues reaching $229.8m (€147m) up just one per cent on the comparable 2007 quarter.

Anti-counterfeiting news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com's round-up of developments in the fight against counterfeiting, including Movianto’s ‘DNA’ coding, e-pedigree packaging machinery and a new handheld device.

Solid second quarter of 2008 for FMC

FMC’s division providing chemicals for the pharmaceutical industry has posted solid results for the second quarter of 2008.

SSB results tell tale of two continents

Bioprocessing specialist Sartorius Stedim Biotech’s (SSB) net profit for the first half of 2008 rose by 3.5 per cent in comparison with last year, although the company continues to face difficulties in North America.

Harro turns to Dyadem for risk management solution

Harro Hofliger’s adoption of the FMEA-Med software will help the German machining specialist minimize risk during development operations, according to Canadian developer Dyadem.