Teva and Servier raided by EC

27-Nov-2008 -  European facilities owned by Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals and French drugmaker Servier are among the firms raided by the EC’s competition unit earlier this week, according to media reports. ...

Corroded Ionsys’ circuits may raise fentanyl overdose risk

27-Nov-2008 -  Janssen-Cilag’s quality control unit has found a defect in certain batches of its Ionsys (fentanyl hydrochloride) management system that could lead to a potentially life-threatening overdose.

Enzon biotech sale under threat

27-Nov-2008 -  The possible sell-off of Enzon Pharmaceuticals’ biotechnology drugs business has come under fire by one of the firm’s shareholders, DellaCamera Capital Management, which says it is opposed to the move....

Food agency to review safety of azo dyes used in drugs

27-Nov-2008 -  Questions about the safety in children of a number of azo dye food colourings which are routinely found in pharmaceutical products could be answered within the next 18 months, according...

FDA officially opens its doors in China

27-Nov-2008 -  The US Food and Drug Administration has opened offices in three Chinese cities – Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou – to help improve the safety of medicines and ingredients imported into...

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Drug delivery tech to tackle drug abuse

27-Nov-2008 - Tris Pharma has launched its new drug delivery platform, NoBuse, which it claims provides a way to administer effective pain relief or ADHD products that are nearly impervious to abuse.

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Magnetic nanoparticles tackle tumours

27-Nov-2008 -  Nanoparticles have been guided by a magnet to deliver their active agent when they reach a tumor, reducing the toxic effect on the rest of the body.

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Watson to buy Teva drugs for $36m

26-Nov-2008 -  Watson Pharmaceuticals has paid Israeli generics firm Teva $36m (€27.6m) for 17 products that the latter firm is selling under the terms of its $7.5bn acquisition of Barr Pharmaceuticals. 

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Azopharma sets up UK lab

26-Nov-2008 -  Contract development firm Azopharma has established a new laboratory facility in Welwyn Garden City, UK, which it hopes will facilitate its move into the European market.

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RCP adds nanotech specialist to advisory board

26-Nov-2008 -  New UK biopharmaceuticals firm RCP Therapeutics has added mitochondrial targeting nanotechnology expert Volkmar Weissig to its scientific advisory board. 

ScinoPharm’s easy-filter irinotecan gets US patent

26-Nov-2008 -  Taiwanese API maker ScinoPharm has been granted a US patent for new crystalline forms of irinotecan which are designed to allow for easier filtration during production processing.

Hectic week of M&A led by the return of King to Alpharma

26-Nov-2008 -  King Pharmaceuticals’ $1.6bn (€1.2bn) acquisition of Alpharma heads a busy week of deals that has seen J&J agree to pay $438m for Omrix and India’s Sun further its presence in...

Further twists in heparin scandal

26-Nov-2008 -  A member of the US Congress has called on the GAO to launch an investigation into the FDA’s handling of the heparin crisis, citing “unanswered questions concerning [the] deaths”....

Reps attack FDA; call for Obama to “clean house”

26-Nov-2008 -  Members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce have said that recent actions by the FDA have been politically motivated and insufficient, although they did acknowledge the moves were necessary....

Sealing up the packaging market

26-Nov-2008 -  Sepha has launched PakScan, its new leak testing machine that the company claims can quickly and non-destructively test for holes in sachets and sealed pouches.

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Animas recalls insulin pumps on faulty battery cap concerns

25-Nov-2008 -  Animas has recalled several of its insulin pumps and glucose management systems on concerns that some cap units used by the products are not maintaining contact with the battery compartment. ...

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Lilly completes $6bn ImClone acquisition

25-Nov-2008 -  Eli Lilly has bought ImClone for around $6bn (€4.6bn), gaining access to the blockbuster cancer therapy Erbitux (cetuximab) and significantly expanding its portfolio of Phase III oncology candidates, including IMC11F8...

Demonstrating “healthcare value” is key to avoiding another Exubera

25-Nov-2008 -  Pfizer’s Exubera failure need not be the final nail in the coffin for inhaled biopharmaceuticals as long as developers focus on proving “healthcare value” and addressing payer needs, according to...

Merrion signs “transformational” deal with Novo for oral insulin

25-Nov-2008 -  Irish oral dosage specialist Merrion Pharmaceuticals is to develop and commercialise Novo Nordisk’s range of insulin analogues as the Danish firm seeks to tighten its grip on the $9bn (€7bn)...

Pharma manufacturing: People on the move

25-Nov-2008 -  in-PharmaTechnologist.com presents its latest round up of personnel moves in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

AAPS drug delivery award for novel device

25-Nov-2008 -  MicroCHIPS scooped the drug delivery technology award at this year’s AAPS, after which CEO John Santini spoke to in-PharmaTechnologist.com about the device and what the future holds for the company....

AZ to slash more European jobs and ramp-up China investment

24-Nov-2008 -  AstraZeneca is to cut 1,400 jobs and close more manufacturing facilities by 2013, as it attempts to slim down in preparation for impending generic competition for some of its cornerstone drugs.

FDA publishes guidance on process validation

24-Nov-2008 -  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidance on process validation, updating its 1987 document to incorporate advances in manufacturing technology and thinking.

Raw material contamination a hot topic at AAPS

24-Nov-2008 -  The pharmaceutical industry’s vigilance in ensuring the safety of raw materials was criticised at this year’s AAPS, with significant, challenging alterations needed to improve the system.

Patheon broadens portfolio with new commercial partners

24-Nov-2008 -  Patheon has signed a slew of agreements to boost its portfolio of contract drug development and manufacturing services, forging new alliances with Omnicare, Depomed, Senopsys and Solvias.

Orbus ducks out of contract manufacturing

24-Nov-2008 -  Canada’s Orbus Pharma has decided to exit the contract manufacturing business, saying that the division “posed a distraction to the core business and generated low or negative margins.”

BASF certifies excipient range

19-Nov-2008 -  German chemical giant BASF chose this year’s AAPS meeting in Atlanta, US to showcase its growing library of USP excipient verification certificates, making good on its commitment to apply the...

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Recipharm signs 12 year AstraZeneca Biotech Lab lease

19-Nov-2008 -  Contract research group Recipharm has leased AstraZeneca Biotech Laboratory (ABL) in Sodertalje, Sweden, bolting on recombinant protein and monoclonal antibody development capabilities to its offering.

Philips’ iPill showcased at AAPS

19-Nov-2008 -  Philips’ new intelligent pill (iPill) technology, which combines a sophisticate sensor array with a precise delivery mechanism, was one of the most talked about innovation presented at this year’s AAPS...

EMEA view of atypical actives is a ‘pragmatic’ solution

19-Nov-2008 - Manufacturers of ingredients used as excipients in pharmaceuticals have faced some regulatory problems with a series substances known as 'atypical actives'.

Authorities seek injunction against Actavis in US

19-Nov-2008 -  The US authorities are turning up the heat on Icelandic generic drugmaker Actavis over manufacturing problems at the New Jersey plant which makes its recalled Digitek brand of the cardiac...

DSM agrees to Deretil management buyout

19-Nov-2008 -  DSM Deretil, the chemical side-chain manufacturing operation of DSM's anti-infectives unit, is to go it alone through a management buyout.

UK report calls for nano regulations

18-Nov-2008 -  The UK Royal Commission has issued a report on the spread of nanomaterials, stating that “urgent action [is] needed on testing and regulation”.

EyeGate wins F&S award

18-Nov-2008 -  EyeGate Pharma has been received an award from Frost & Sullivan recognising its development of ocular drug delivery technology.

PharmaForm's EPAS aims to make particle processing less of a grind

18-Nov-2008 - PharmaForm's new EPAS particle engineering technology, launched at this year's AAPS in Atlanta, US, may help drugmakers improve the solubility of insoluble actives without some of the costly and time...

Pigs and seaweed combine to treat diabetes

17-Nov-2008 -  New Zealand has approved clinical trials of Living Cell Technologies (LCT) type 1 diabetes treatment, which uses porcine cells encapsulated in a seaweed based gel.

Alpharma buoyed by panel decision on Embeda

17-Nov-2008 -  Alpharma moved a step closer to bringing its morphine product Embeda to market after a US Food and Drug Administration advisory panel agreed that it is less susceptible to abuse...

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Vital recalls Zhixue on liver worries

13-Nov-2008 -  Chinese drug regulators have ordered Sichuan-based drugmaker Vital Pharmaceutical Holdings to withdraw its hemorrhoid medicine Zhixue on concerns that it could cause liver damage.

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Compass set on customer service

13-Nov-2008 -  US contract packaging firm Compass Pharma Services has reshaped its service and process organisation divisions to provide customers with a single point of contact. 

BioLife files DMF for preservation media in US

13-Nov-2008 -  US company BioLife Solutions has filed for approval of a Drug Master File in the HypoThermosol, a preservation media for biological materials. 

Asia to drive glycerin market out to 2015

13-Nov-2008 -  Demand for glycerin as an ingredient in pharmaceuticals, personal care and other products is expected to show brisk growth out 2015, when demand around the world is expected to reach...

UPS enters Puerto Rico

13-Nov-2008 -  UPS is planning on building a new facility in Puerto Rico to help establish a reliable cold-chain delivery service, suggesting a brighter future for the island’s industry.

Reshaping R&D replaces cost cutting as top priority

13-Nov-2008 - Cost cutting has sustained pharma profits in the faltering global economy, however top executives are starting to realise that reducing R&D capacity may not have been the smartest move in...

Merck Serono expands biotech site

13-Nov-2008 -  Merck Serono has begun work on the expansion of its Swiss biotech facility, with the additional capacity being used to meet rising demand for Erbitux (cetuximab).

Lawsuit filed claiming Pfizer PCB release

12-Nov-2008 -  A Terre Haute, US resident has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer alleging that the company “negligently or recklessly” maintained its dam, resulting in the release of PCB.

Generic pressure forces GSK site closure

12-Nov-2008 - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has proposed that it will close its facility in Dartford, UK in 2013, as the loss of patents for key drugs makes its operation uneconomical.

Court finds Wyeth liable for generic’s harm

12-Nov-2008 -  A Californian appeals court ruling may have altered product liability in the state, which could lead to numerous court cases being brought against big pharma.

RCP’s big plans for nanotechnology

12-Nov-2008 -  Robert Sexauer, CEO of biopharmaceuticals group RCP Therapeutics, says the R&D investment deal signed with FirstPoint Biotech shows the attractiveness of the firm’s nano-medical pipeline, particularly given the current economic...

Novo looks east for $400m insulin plant

10-Nov-2008 -  Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has unveiled an ambitious plan to build an insulin plant in China, tapping into a major new market for diabetes treatments. 

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Daiichi buys Ranbaxy for $4.5bn

10-Nov-2008 -  Daiichi Sankyo has completed its $4.5bn (€3.5bn) purchase of Indian generics giant Ranbaxy Laboratories, quashing speculation that the Japanese firm would withdraw as a result of Ranbaxy’s ongoing problems in...

Big pills big problem for Ethex?

10-Nov-2008 -  Ethex has initiated its third recall of the year as yet again the spectre of dangerous oversized tablets casts its shadow over the St Louis-headquartered company’s manufacturing operations.  ...

All change at the top for pharma’s top 10

10-Nov-2008 -  Pfizer is likely to lose its crown as the world’s largest pharmaceutical company and by 2012 will be usurped by GlaxoSmithKline, according to a report from Urch Publishing. 

Contaminated heparin seized in US

10-Nov-2008 -  US Marshals have entered Celsus Laboratories to seize 11 lots of heparin, which contain contaminated material from China according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Honeywell inks China packaging deal

10-Nov-2008 -  Honeywell has entered into a three-year agreement to supply its Aclar brand moisture-barrier films to Shanghai Haishun Packaging Material.

News in brief

Pharmaceutical Substances publication updated

06-Nov-2008 -  The publication Pharmaceutical Substances has been given its most comprehensive update since its launch, with revisions to half of the entries.

Senator slams FDA “mismanagement”

06-Nov-2008 -  Senator Chuck Grassley has written a letter to Andrew von Eschenbach alleging systemic mismanagement of employee pay and benefits at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Stora partners for smart packaging

06-Nov-2008 -  A deal to jointly market electronic patient monitoring service packaging has been signed by Stora Enso and Medixine.

Covidien recalls mislabelled insulin syringes

06-Nov-2008 - Covidien is recalling half a million ReliOn single-use insulin syringes after it was uncovered that some had been mislabelled, creating the potential for fatal overdose.

India plans testing zones at airports

06-Nov-2008 -  The Indian government is planning on establishing pharmaceutical zones at major international airports to facilitate exports, according to local media reports.

Systech gears up for ePedigree ahead of time

05-Nov-2008 -  Delays to US ePedigree and serialization laws, which will now not be implemented until 2015, could provide an unexpected windfall for US software firm Systech International and its PES platform. ...

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GSK planning to reduce US sales force

05-Nov-2008 -  UK drug major GSK is cutting approximately 1,000 US sales jobs by the end of 2008 as it reorganizes to compete in the increasingly tough pharmaceutical market.

What Obama means for pharma

05-Nov-2008 -  Following Barack Obama’s victory in the race to the White House, in-PharmaTechnologist.com examines what this could mean for the pharmaceutical industry.

Upfront targets CMOs with new MabDirect column

05-Nov-2008 -  The new MabDirect MM Fixed D column, launched by Denmark’s Upfront Chromatography, could be a boon for CMO’s and pilot plants working in the expanding bio-processing sector. ...

RCP unveils new UK base and EU plans

05-Nov-2008 -  RCP Therapeutics, a developer of regenerative medicine, hopes that its new HQ in the UK will benefit from the country’s status as a financial centre and proximity to cost effective...

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Global downturn, Domino affected

04-Nov-2008 -  Printing technology specialist Domino, which develops labelling machines for the drug, food and beverage industries, is cutting 200 jobs in a bid to reduce expenditure by £10m (€12.4m) a year.

Caraco’s Detroit plant gets quality warning

04-Nov-2008 -    Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, in which India’s Sun Pharmaceuticals holds a 76 per cent stake, has joined the list of generics manufacturers issued with an FDA warning on quality control issues....

PPD CEO funds conservative ad campaign

04-Nov-2008 -  Fred Eshelman, CEO of PPD, has funded a conservative political group that has produced a controversial last minute campaign advert.

MonoSol deal for nanocell delivery film

04-Nov-2008 -  MonoSol Rx has entered into a partnership with Midatech to develop new drug formulations using the companies’ respective expertise in thin film delivery and biocompatible nanocells.

NeoStem buys its way into China

04-Nov-2008 -  NeoStem has agreed to acquire China Biopharmaceuticals Holdings in an attempt to capitalise on the manufacturing and marketing opportunities in the nation.

News in brief

New packaging facility in Mexico

03-Nov-2008 -  The inauguration has taken place of Italy-based Stevanato’s packaging production facility in Cienega de Flores, Mexico.

FDA awards contract for QbD research

03-Nov-2008 -  The FDA has awarded a $1.19m contract for the development of quality by design (QbD) guidance for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Sartorius to bring Wave Biotech AG into the fold

03-Nov-2008 -  Disposable bioreactor specialist Wave Biotech AG of Switzerland has been snapped up by its commercial and development partner Sartorius-Stedim for an undisclosed sum.