Breaking News on Pharmaceutical Technology

News in brief

BASF hikes carboxylic acid prices in Europe

German chemicals manufacturer BASF has raised the price of two of its range of carboxylic acids, as part of a round of increases.

Durect and King sign long-term Remoxy excipient supply deal

Chemicals firm Durect will supply drugmaker King Pharmaceuticals with two excipients used in the manufacture of the candidate anti-abuse painkiller Remoxy in an agreement signed last week.

People on the move: pharma jobs

in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including Novartis’ former CEO joining Amylin’s board and an appointment at OctoPlus.

Roche buys Lonza’s Singapore biologics plant

Basel-headquartered Roche has paid fellow Swiss firm Lonza $290m (€203m) for its Singapore biologics plant in a bid to secure long-term manufacturing capacity for biotech cancer drugs.

Phone-based anti-counterfeiting proposed for developing world

Researchers have presented a low cost track and trace and authentication system, which they believe could be implemented immediately, to combat counterfeiting in the developing world.

Silence collaborating on AtuRNAi drug delivery tech

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma has entered into a collaboration to develop Silence Therapeutics’ AtuRNAi delivery technology which improves stability, cut manufacturing costs and increase stability.

Mantecorp installs tech to cut energy use

Mantecorp is using the Control and Communication Link (CC-Link) open fieldbus network to improve the environmental credentials of its facility in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Pfizer inaugurates new $214m Swedish biotech plant

Pfizer’s new $214.8 million (€150m) biotechnology facility in Strangnas, Sweden was inaugurated yesterday, securing the country’s future in the company’s manufacturing network according to global manufacturing president Natale Ricciardi.

Europe leads US in R&D productivity, says Health Affairs

Europe is pulling ahead of the US in research productivity, according to a controversial new study by Washington public policy think tank Health Affairs.

People on the move: pharma manufacturing jobs

in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at Sutro Biopharma Lundbeck and AmerisourceBergen.

Cambrex’ Milan API plant gets FDA warning

US chemicals maker Cambrex will hope an FDA warning letter concerning its Italian manufacturing plant will not increase the pressure on its generic active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) business.

News in brief

GSK reports theft of 25,600 Advair inhalers

UK drug major GSK says that two lots of its respiratory drug Advair Diskus have been stolen from a distribution facility in Richmond, Virginia in the US.

Protein therapeutics worth $77bn by 2011, says RNCOS

The global protein therapeutics market will be worth $77bn by 2011 with biogenerics playing an increasingly important role, according to a new survey by industry analysts RNCOS.

Microneedle patch could boost compliance

Researchers have presented new microneedle drug delivery patches, which, using technology developed in the electronics sector, could improve compliance and treat ocular diseases.

Will Lonza's $460m Patheon offer trigger bidding war?

Canadian contractor Patheon has welcomed the $460m (€321m) takeover offer from Switzerland's Lonza that could, according to some observers, spark a bidding war with rival suitor, US group JLL Patheon Holdings.

News in brief

GEA shipping systems to Chinese business

GEA Lyophil has won a contract to supply €15m ($21.5m) worth of pharmaceutical freeze dryers with automatic load and unload systems (ALUS) to a Chinese manufacturer.

Warner Chilcott may pay $3bn for P&G drug unit

Woman’s healthcare and dermatology group Warner Chilcott will unveil plans to buy P&G’s prescription drug division for $3bn (€2.1bn) according to a number of media reports.

Tobacco used for cheap, quick production

Researchers claim tobacco plants provide an economical method of manufacturing norovirus vaccine, a product that would have low profit margins, and achieve commercial scale in two to four months.

Pfizer and Private Access team up for trial recruitment website

US drug giant Pfizer has joined the growing list of organisations seeking to boost trial recruitment via the web, teaming up with IT firm Private Access to create a website designed to “increase clinical trial awareness and participation.”

GEA wins €15m order from China’s Hisun Pharmaceutical

GEA Lyophil, part of GEA Pharma Systems, has won a contract to supply Chinjese drugmaker Zheijang Hisun Pharmaceutical with freeze drying systems and automatic loading units.

News in brief

MHRA orders recall of 100 batches of Karib Kemi Pharm drugs

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ordered the recall of 100 batches of drugs sold by generics firm Karib Kem Pharm.

Philippine FDA will cut registration time, says health sec

The world’s newest pharma industry regulatory body was set up in Phillipines yesterday with the foundation of a new agency modelled on the US FDA.

Perrigo acts to cut API costs

Perrigo’s API business posted a $5.4m (€3.8m) operating loss in Q4 because of restructuring charges but it believes vertically integrating production, and opening a site in India, will help in coming years.

News in brief

Medis’ drug packaging plant open for business

Czech CMO Medis International has completed construction of its new pharma packaging plant in Bolatice, just nine months after work on the 2,700 sqm site began.

Eastern Europe drug market worth $41bn by 2014; but rules complex

Eastern Europe’s pharmaceutical market is growing at an impressive rate, but the complex regulatory rules being introduced may make it a less attractive proposition that it first appears, according to a new study by Business Insights.

Dry powder vaccine nears Phase I

A dry powder measles vaccine formulation and inhalers that could be as affordable as needle treatments are due to enter Phase I in 2010, according to researchers at the ACS meeting.

PCAS joint venture sets up US kilolab

PCAS is setting up a kilolab in California, US to target the small-scale synthesis market, which it believes will benefit its large-scale operations by establishing relationships earlier in development.

AsahiKasei rolls out new Swelstar excipients

Asahikasei’s chemicals unit has launched three new grades of pre-gelatinized starch excipients that it claims have broad application in the control of drug release, stability and disintegration.

Amcor offers over $2bn for Alcan packaging businesses

Australian packaging giant Amcor has offered to buy the European and Asian arms of Alcan Food Packaging along with its pharmaceutical and tobacco businesses for $2025m (€1434m).

News in brief

Barr recalls batch of oversized ADHD drug

Barr Laboratories has recalled a single batch of the drug detroamphetamine/ amphetamine, used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after tests revealed that some tablets exceeded weight requirements.

People on the move: pharma manufacturing jobs

in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including appointments at Millipore, AM Technology and Alder Pharmaceuticals.

News in brief

NuPharm expands packaging capacity

NuPharm Laboratories has expanded its packaging capacity in response to an increase in business by installing an automated coding machine from Allen Coding Systems.

Amcor halts share trading; is Alcan Pharma Packaging deal close?

Amcor has temporarily halted trading on the Australian stock exchange, fuelling rumours that the group is finally about to move for Rio Tinto’s Alcan pharmaceutical packaging unit.

Aurobindo enters injectables market with Trident deal

Generic drugmaker Aurobindo Pharma will add liquid-injectables to its roster of manufacturing capabilities with the purchase of fellow Indian firm Trident Life Sciences (TLSL).

LSO trials light activated cancer treatment

Light Sciences Oncology (LSO) has begun treating the first patient in a Phase I trial of Aptocine (alaporfin sodium), a drug activated by an LED device inserted into a tumour.

Rollprint service aims to cut time to market

Rollprint Packaging Products claims that its prototype laboratory can help cut time to market by providing information about how packaging will behave in the commercial environment.

News in brief

Gilead to close Colorado offices

Gilead Sciences is laying off up to 66 people as it closes its offices in Boulder and Westminster, Colorado, US to consolidate its operations in California.

Dendreon expands manufacturing ops

There has been a blitz of activity at Dendreon following publication of positive trial data, with the company signing two leases for manufacturing facilities and beginning expanding an existing site.

Sani-Tech tubing could be boost for bio

Biotech processes will be improved by using Sani-Tech Ultra tubing, according to its manufacturer that claims the product has a longer lifespan and lower concentration of extractables than its competitors.

News in brief

Synthetech posts 220% rise in Q1 op income

The declining cost of raw materials helped Synthetech post a 220 per cent increase in operating income in the first quarter of its fiscal year, despite its revenues dropping.

Aptamers used for targeted cancer treatment

Researchers have developed a drug delivery vehicle using liposomes and aptamers that targets specific cancer cells and can be switched off to stop adverse reactions.

People on the move: pharma manufacturing jobs

in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round up of movements in the pharma sector, including mass director resignations at Gentium and executive lay-offs at Ambrilia.

Downstream demand helps Millipore’s Q2

Demand for downstream processing products from biotechs drove the continued recovery of Millipore’s bioprocessing division in Q2 but operating income remained flat.

Emergent buying & selling facilities

Emergent BioSolutions believes it can reduce its debt, cut operating expenses and gain more flexible production capacity by reorganising its manufacturing operations.

Cambrex operating income up 61% in Q2

Cambrex has posted a positive set of Q2 results, recording an operating income of $9m (€6.3m), but warned that the second half of the year is likely to be down on the corresponding six months of last year.

NAFDAC ups anti-counterfeiting actions

Nigeria is collaborating with Interpol and setting up offices in India to curb the flow of counterfeits, in particular allegedly China produced fakes labelled “Made in India”, according to media reports.

France to lead Euro API growth

France will lead growth in the European API market, according to a new report that believes the government’s cost-containment measures will put increased focus on the nation’s generic sector.

News in brief

Baxter produces H1N1 vaccine

Baxter has said its Vero cell production technology has made it possible to complete production of its first commercial batches of H1N1 vaccine 12 weeks after receiving the virus strain.

Ampac Fine Chemicals struggles in Q3

Ampac Fine Chemicals revenues fell by 20 per cent in Q3 as a result of a customer scaling back their order for central nervous system (CNS) products.

West’s operating income drops in Q2

West Pharmaceutical Services’ operating income fell by 33 per cent in Q2 but the company reported that demand for some of its drug delivery technology is strong.

Packaging up at AmerisourceBergen in Q3

AmerisourceBergen’s contract packaging business believes the outlook for the sector is improving after it posted an 11 per cent rise in operating income in Q3.

News in brief

URL acquires PharmaPro assets

URL Pharma has acquired a 19,000 sq ft facility equipped for development and manufacture of modified release products from PharmPro.

Lilly to train Russian FDA

Eli Lilly is among the organisations partnering to provide training for the Rozdravnadzor, Russia’s equivalent of the FDA, which is seeking to improve its knowledge of manufacturing standards.

Positive Phase II for intranasal antiemetic

Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL) has posted a positive first report on the Phase II trial of its intranasal antiemetic, which it claims is a more convenient treatment for cancer patients.

BioMarin: good news on Kuvan patents; bad news as costs hit Q2 profits

New US patents for the PKU drug Kuvan will “significantly strengthen” BioMarin’s position according to CEO Jean-Jacques Bienaime.

Pharma: people on the move

in-PharmaTechnologist presents its latest round-up of movements in the pharmaceutical sector, including a new CEO at Caraco, appointments at Mylan and the return of the “Viking boss”.