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All news articles > September 2006
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29-Sep-2006
Researchers solve flesh-eating bacteria's success
Researchers think they have found an explanation as to why "flesh-eating" bacteria are so resistant to antibiotic treatment, which could contribute to new strategies for treating necrotizing fasciitis, halting its rapid destruction of tissue.
28-Sep-2006
What's in a name for Degussa's NCN unit?
Fine chemicals firm Degussa has decided to spin off its NCN business in Bavaria into a new legal entity known as AlzChem Trostberg, hoping a new name will lead to new opportunities.
Sanofi breaks ground in cell culture-based vaccine production
With the first clinical trial of its cell culture-based seasonal influenza vaccine commencing in the US, Sanofi Pasteur has demonstrated the production scale potential of a cell line in a successful bioreactor run of 20,000L.
Software companies join e-pedigree forces
Software firm Ross Systems and supply chain company SupplyScape have announced a partnership to provide a software solution that allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to track their product through the supply chain, meeting regulatory and trading partner obligations.
DNA hydrogels could be used in drug delivery
The use of synthetic DNA formed into crosses can produce biodegradable and inexpensive hydrogels that have applications in the controlled release of drugs, new research indicates.
US contract manufacturer unveils $17.5m expansion
US contract pharmaceutical manufacturer Metrics has announced a $17.5m (€13.7m) investment to double the size of its drug testing and manufacturing plant over the next three years.
27-Sep-2006
Drug enters Phase I to test MRSA efficacy
Novexel has announced it is to put forward its novel small molecule antibiotic into Phase I clinical development representing a new class of antibacterials to treat hospital-based infections caused by gram positive pathogens.
Chinese purchase makes Indian gelatine maker world number 2
Sterling Biotech has emerged as the world's second largest gelatine producer after making its first international foray to acquire the gelatine manufacturing facility of Chinese firm China Gelatin.
Nastech awarded another grant to develop bird-flu drug
Nastech Pharmaceutical Company has received a new $1.9m (€1.5m) research grant from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further develop its RNAi therapeutics to fight and prevent bird-flu.
UK launches nanotechnology reporting scheme to "assess risks"
UK research organisations, biopharmaceutical and food manufacturers, along with those in other industries are been asked to voluntarily provide any information on nanotechnologies they are working on, under a programme launched this week.
Paxonix and Global Vision team up on drug packaging
Paxonix, a supplier of packaging management software, and Global Vision, which provides automated proofreading software, have formed a partnership to offer pharma companies a single platform solution for drug package management.
26-Sep-2006
New catalyst forces unwanted enantiomers to scram
The UK subsidiary of Nicholas Piramal (NPIL) is working on a new catalyst-based racemisation technology called SCRAM that delivers significantly improved process yields in the production of chiral amines and alcohols, cutting cost and environmental waste.
Gateway Chemical Technology revamped after acquisition
Chemir Analytical Services, the new owner of Gateway Chemical Technology, has renamed the custom chemical analysis business IQsynthesis in a revamp effort.
Ferro enters drug delivery in supercritical fashion
Ferro Pfanstiehl Laboratories has commissioned a new validated current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) supercritical fluid-based particle engineering pilot facility, offering sizing, purification and formulation services to its pharmaceutical customers.
Gilead rains manufacturing deals on India's generic firms
Under pressure to respond to the spread of HIV in the developing world, Gilead has signed non-exclusive licence agreements with eight Indian generic companies for the manufacture of Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), its popular antiretroviral.
Contax helps AstraZeneca pack
Automation equipment provider Contax has increased productivity and efficiency in one of AstraZeneca's packaging lines by installing a new specialist conveyor.
25-Sep-2006
CRO's drug R&D contribution never been more significant
Contract Research Organisations' (CROs) contribution to drug development has never been more crucial with faster development, earlier decisions on project failures, and higher approval success rates becoming the norm amongst outsourcing partnerships.
New plants not the answer to flu pandemic says study
Moving from egg-based production of vaccines to the use of cell-culture technologies in existing manufacturing plants is cheaper and quicker than building new facilities to handle a flu pandemic within the next five years, new research suggests.
Hospira bids for global domination in generic injectables
To escape stagnating growth, hospital supplies firm Hospira has agreed to buy Australia's Mayne Pharma for $2bn (€1.56bn), creating the world's biggest manufacturer of generic injectable drugs.
India's largest packaging services firm sets up in UK
Bilcare, India's largest research-based pharmaceuticals packaging company, has bought UK-based clinical trials services (CTS) provider DHP in a bid to build itself up to be one of the few players in this sector with global servicing capability.
New inhaler launched with a bang
Bang & Olufsen Medicom has unveiled a new disposal breath-actuated inhaler which uses a reservoir technology that reduces the daily cost of pulmonary drug delivery.
Patheon's future up in the air as profits plummet
Patheon's move to Puerto Rico is shaping up to be the worst decision the contract manufacturer has ever made, resulting in massive losses in the third quarter of 2006 and leading management to entertain the possibility of a sell-out.
22-Sep-2006
Bentley Pharma to use Cardinal's facility for nasal insulin manufacture
Bentley Pharmaceuticals has announced it will use the North Carolina facilities of US-based services provider Cardinal Health for the scale-up and manufacture of the clinical supplies of its new intranasal insulin product.
21-Sep-2006
UK biomanufacturers win cash
A biotech consortium led by consultants BioPharm Services has been awarded a Collaborative Research & Development grant from the UK government, helping biopharmaceutical producers bring new products from development to manufacture.
Sanofi Pasteur throws $30m into Canadian vaccine plant
French vaccine giant Sanofi Pasteur has announced a $30m (€23.5m) capital expansion project at its Connaught Campus in Toronto, significantly increasing manufacturing capacity for its popular acellular pertussis and polio vaccines.
Nastech pits intranasal formulation against Exubera
Eager to find a formulation that will give Pfizer's inhalation device Exubera (insulin rDNA) a run for its money, Nastech is initiating a Phase I study to compare Exubera to its insulin nasal spray and to an approved injectable product.
'Cascade of liability' to drive pharma RFID absorption
Although pharmaceutical distributors may be reluctant to integrate radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology into their supply chain infrastracture, manufacturers are pushing RFID by holding distributors accountable for errors when tags exist on their products.
DSM sells API production site to Albermarle
DSM Pharmaceutical Products has agreed to sell its US pharmaceutical production site to Albemarle Corporation.
20-Sep-2006
AstraZeneca in drug compliance deal
AstraZeneca have entered a deal with drug delivery device service provider Bang & Olufsen Medicom to develop a new electronic monitor that can tell whether patients are correctly taking their medication or not.
Thermo steps up manufacturing QC offerings
Thermo Electron said it has made significant updates to its laboratory information management system (LIMS), to address further critical needs in pharmaceutical manufacturing R&D and QA/QC.
19-Sep-2006
Bioxel gears up for supply of docetaxel to generic drugmakers
Canadian firm Bioxel has manufactured the first industrial-scale current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) batch of its key intermediate for docetaxel, the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of Sanofi-Aventis's blockbuster chemotherapy drug Taxotere, whose first patents will expire at the end of 2007.
Cardinal gets green light for new sterile facility start-up
Cardinal Health has been given the green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start manufacturing the first commercial drug at its new sterile facility in North Carolina.
Reaxa scavenges for contaminants
Catalyst specialist Reaxa has launched the latest flight of additions to its range of metal scavenging products for pharma process applications which can be used in both batch and continuous processing.
MedImmune in $250m biologics plant expansion
MedImmune has embarked on an expansion of its biologics manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland, to ramp up its cell culture production capacity, as several of its monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) approach commercialisation.
18-Sep-2006
Securing pre-press workflow
New workflow technology can go a long way in ensuring security and traceability of data transfer prior to print in the pharmaceutical industry, avoiding errors that can potentially lead to life-threatening misinformation.
Roche hikes US Tamiflu production capacity
Roche has boosted annual manufacturing capacity for Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) to 80m treatment courses, as demand for the flu drug shows no sign of abating.
Actavis plant suspends manufacturing of new drugs
A warning letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) censuring Actavis for failing to file periodic safety reports at its solid oral dose manufacturing facility in New Jersey and not reporting adverse drug events has forced the company to put on hold the launch of new drugs from the plant.
Prometic makes Nabi hyper
Nabi Biopharmaceuticals has obtained the exclusive rights to use a plasma protein purification technology from ProMetic Life Sciences in the large-scale development and manufacture of its hyperimmune products, cutting production costs and increasing yield.
Kemwell seals Pfizer plant deal
Kemwell has sealed the deal on the purchase of Pfizer's Swedish manufacturing plant and at the same time secured a long-term contract manufacturing agreement with the drug giant.
15-Sep-2006
More Pfizer plants axed as restructuring continues
Pfizer's manufacturing reforms have claimed more casualties in two North American plants as the world's largest drugmaker battles to realign production capacity with future product mix, new technologies and cost effectiveness.
New method identifies early stages of breast cancer
A new technique, which detects metastasis of breast cancer earlier than current methods has been developed by scientists who believe early diagnosis will allow a personalised approach to breast cancer therapy.
New EU initiative to support small biotech firms
The European Union (EU) has been criticised for being more favourable to big biotech companies, at the expense of smaller firms, according to consultants within the industry.
Whole-virus formulation leads to dose-sparing H5N1 vaccine
Chinese researchers may have solved the problem of vaccine shortage in the event of an avian influenza pandemic after a clinical trial showed that their formulation containing the whole H5N1 virus instead of virus particles resulted in an affective immune response at lower doses.
Hope in the face of Asian competition in pharmaceutical fine chemicals
Europe's fine chemical suppliers cannot beat their Asian competitors in their own game and must seek an advantage through restructuring, innovation and specialisation in niche markets, a new report by Frost & Sullivan advises.
14-Sep-2006
Inhalable vaccine to inspire smokers to quit
A small spin-out company formed by the University of Colorado has been awarded a $850,000 (€670,000) grant from the US government to develop a dry powder inhalable version of Nabi's investigational injectable vaccine for nicotine addiction, boosting the product's appeal by eliminating needles.
Consolidation in Indian packaging market continues
India's Essel Propack, the largest speciality packaging company in the world, is acquiring Packaging India Private Limited (PIPL) from the CavinKare Group, keen to capture more of the country's booming pharmaceutical packaging market.
Xceleron moves in on $1bn US testing market
Drug testing services provider Xceleron has set up new facilities in the US after regulations recently introduced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are setting this industry sector ablaze.
Manufacturers dodge EU wrath over counterfeits
European parliamentarians have come up with a long list of measures that the EU needs to take to combat counterfeit drugs, yet track and trace technologies were noticeably absent from their calls for action.
How to avoid contract manufacturing disappointment
Successful technology transfer and effective management can help avoid disappointment with contract manufacturing arrangements, which often fail to live up to pharmaceutical company expectations.
Intercell's adjuvant stimulates Wyeth
Wyeth has entered into a global agreement that allows it to use Intracell's synthetic adjuvant IC31 in the formulation of five of its investigational vaccines, aiming to simply mix it with antigens without the need for conjugation.
13-Sep-2006
Codexis lends Schering-Plough a biocatalytic hand
Biotechnology firm Codexis says it has reached an important development milestone in its effort to design a biocatalytic process to produce a key intermediate for a Schering-Plough drug, reducing manufacturing costs and environmental waste.
Lean proves mean in drug manufacturing
The majority of pharmaceutical manufacturers who have adopted the lean manufacturing model are not satisfied with their results according to a new survey, raising questions about the efficacy of a system popular in the automotive and hi-tech industries.
Choosing the right contract manufacturer
A good selection process, with a realistic set of selection criteria is essential when looking for the right contract manufacturing partner, according to a new Datamonitor report.
Will big pharma share its APIs for the sake of custom-made drugs?
Britain's manufacturers of tailor-made non-licensed medicines are working on establishing a unique supply agreement with major drug firms that could serve as a model worldwide for the production of drugs that meet the specialised medical needs of patients.
Micro-machined devices scoop top oral drug delivery award
Silicon-based micro-machined devices for the controlled delivery of oral therapeutics, developed by Tejal Desai from the University of California, have won first prize at the 2006 Eurand Award Programme, impressing with their ability to combine novelty with practicality.
12-Sep-2006
Offshore manufacturing - not always the best option
Offshoring contract manufacturing is not the only option for large pharma firms looking to drive productivity and efficiency gains in drug manufacturing, warns a new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor.
11-Sep-2006
Boom time for bio-outsourcing
As the bio-outsourcing market hits boom time, the number of contract biomanufacturing organisations (CBMOs) that specialise in the production of biopharma products, is rapidly expanding.
Rhodia plant escapes ethanol explosion
Workers at a Rhodia specialty chemicals plant in South Carolina are sighing with relief after a fire that broke out in the passing of tropical storm Ernesto was put out before igniting ethanol and pentane in a general processing unit.
Boehringer sees alternative to Spiriva inhaler device
The world's most prescribed product for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could soon be formulated with a new propellant-free device following an observational study on a soft mist inhaler (SMI) that Boehringer Ingelheim plans to use with its blockbuster drug Spiriva (tiotropium bromide).
MVA-based smallpox vaccine plant cleared for production
Danish biopharmaceutical firm Bavarian Nordic has received approval from Denmark's government to begin large-scale commercial production of smallpox vaccine based on its Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus strain which demonstrates superior safety.
08-Sep-2006
New drug class encouraging in cancer treatment
A new drug class for the treatment of cancer has been hailed as a breakthrough by researchers in Denmark, who believe that patients with advanced breast cancer could stand to gain the most benefit from this new treatment.
07-Sep-2006
IDTechEx conference takes on RFID
Branding itself as Europe's most established and important radiofrequency identification (RFID) show, the seventh annual event RFID Smart Labels Europe will take place on September 19 and 20 in London.
Capgemini sought to iron out Astellas' IT after merger
Capgemini has received a new five year outsourcing contract to provide IT services to ensure the smooth sailing of pharmaceutical company Astellas US, newly-formed after a recent merger.
GSK opens vaccine plant in Hungary
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a major player in vaccine manufacturing, is set to inaugurate a €100m vaccine production plant on Friday in a Hungarian city 30Km northeast of Budapest.
06-Sep-2006
Specialty pharma places hope in generics and drug delivery
With dwindling pipelines and several drugs going off-patent, big pharma is looking to markets with significant unmet medical need, taking on specialty drug companies, who are turning to generics with cutting edge drug delivery technologies to protect their domain, a new report from Frost & Sullivan has found.
Novartis drinks to Exjade after EU approval
Swiss drugmaker Novartis is celebrating the approval of Exjade in the EU for the treatment of patients with transfusional iron overload, hoping for a blockbuster as the drug offers an oral single daily-dose alternative to cumbersome infusions via pump.
St Remy meeting focuses on lipid-based drug delivery
Researchers gathered in the south of France to discuss how the pharmaceutical industry can embrace lipid-based drug delivery as a viable alternative to traditional formulation approaches.
Chemokine Therapeutics issued chemokine analog patent
Chemokine Therapeutics has announced it has received a patent relating to chemokine analogs for the treatment of human disease, which includes autoimmune diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
05-Sep-2006
Hovione shows the way for Portugal's manufacturers
Portuguese drug producers are small and need to merge or form alliances to compete at a global level, investing more in innovation and increasing their competitiveness like custom manufacturer Hovione has done, a new report by market research firm Espicom suggests.
Cardinal facility buyback brings Mucinex production in-house
After selling a manufacturing plant in Texas to Cardinal Health two years ago, Adams Respiratory Therapeutics has reacquired the facility in order to produce its expectorant Mucinex (guaifenesin extended-release), responding to a 15-fold growth in sales in the last couple of years.
Researchers find novel method to modify drugs
A team of scientists has described the discovery of a simple process that may yield a raft of promising new agents to treat cancer and the majority of antibiotic-resistant infections.
RFID penetration in pharmaceuticals 'rapid'
The market for radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags in healthcare is set to explode from $90m (€70m) in 2006 to $2.1bn in 2016, driven by the item level tagging of drugs and the growing appeal of "smart packaging."
04-Sep-2006
Pfizer on top in Norvasc API patent dispute
Drug giant Pfizer is claiming victory in defending the world's most prescribed branded medicine for treating hypertension after a US court ruled that Dutch drugmaker Synthon's generic copy of Norvasc (amlodipine besylate) infringed upon a US patent pertaining to the drug's active pharmaceutical ingredient (API).
Asian generic API competition costs 200 BASF jobs
In an attempt to counter competition in generic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from Asian manufacturers, BASF has decided to downscale production at its Minden production site, implementing a restructuring programme that includes the scrapping of 200 jobs.
Actavis sets Barr higher in bidding war for Pliva
The battle for the acquisition that will form the world's third biggest generic drugmaker has intensified, with Iceland's Actavis making a new offer for Croatian drug manufacturer Pliva that surpasses that of US pharmaceutical firm Barr by $200m (€156m).
01-Sep-2006
Answer to bacterial mystery promises new antibiotics
Researchers believe that the discovery of enzymes that play a key role in building membranes of disease-causing bacteria has ended a 25-year mystery and paves the way for new drug development against certain types of bacteria.
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