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Headlines > December 2007

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21-Dec-2007

New company formed for drug delivery tech

21-Dec-2007 - Jerusalem-based Yissum has formed a spin-off company Nanolymf, which will be dedicated to advancing a nanotechnology controlled-release drug delivery platform.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: news in brief

21-Dec-2007 - In-PharmaTechnologist.com brings you a selection of recent headlines from around the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

FMC expands excipient production

21-Dec-2007 - FMC BioPolymer is to expand its microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) production in a bid to meet demand for the company's excipients.

20-Dec-2007

Consort Medical feeling the loss of Exubera

20-Dec-2007 - Consort Medical's UK operations may be in line for more job losses as further collateral damage from Pfizer's withdrawal of Exubera from the market.

Enzo to expand in Europe with Belgian distributor buy-out

20-Dec-2007 - Enzo Life Sciences has signed a letter of intent to acquire Belgian life science tools distributor 10P's BVBA for an undisclosed amount.

Product news in brief - week 51

20-Dec-2007 - LabTechnologist.com brings you a round up of the latest product news and releases from Agilent, Caliper, Grabner, Micronic, Millipore, Torrey Pines and Warner.

Biochips help reduce the need for animal testing

20-Dec-2007 - US researchers have developed a new biochip technology that could dramatically reduce the need for animal testing during drug development safety studies.

Flamel tech used for Merck Serono drug

20-Dec-2007 - France-based Flamel Technologies and Merck Serono have shook hands on a new €2m ($2.9m) deal which would see Flamel's Medusa technology used to develop an extended-release profile of an undisclosed...

Keata buys Pfizer's Canadian facility

20-Dec-2007 - PharmEng's subsidiary Keata Pharma is the new owner of Pfizer's manufacturing facility in Arnprior, Canada, which the drug giant has been trying to pass on for over a year.

Two dimensions are better than one when profiling metabolites

20-Dec-2007 - US researchers have shown that 2D NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) experiments can greatly enhance the ability of metabolic profiling to quantify disease identification and progression.

19-Dec-2007

New drug on the blocks for athletes

19-Dec-2007 - Scientists have discovered a potential new drug target that will prick up the ears of sportsmen and athletes alike. Not that this is an performance-enhancing drug; instead, it could help...

Affymetrix buys USB to accelerate genetic tools development

19-Dec-2007 - Microarray expert Affymetrix is to buy molecular biology reagent firm USB Corporation for $75m (€52m) in a bid to accelerate the development of new genetic analysis tools.

Industry news in brief - week 51

19-Dec-2007 - LabTechnologist.com brings you a round up of recent industry news, with developments at Agilent, Bruker BioSpin, EMD Chemicals, Gene Logic, Paraytec and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Mapping the 'human embryome' in BioTime

19-Dec-2007 - BioTimes' subsidiary, Embryome Sciences, is planning to build a relational database that will help identify the hundreds of cell types that can be made from human and mouse embryonic stem...

William Ransom & Son's future profitability questionable

19-Dec-2007 - UK-based William Ransom & Son has a shaky future ahead following a disappointing and unacceptable six-month financial report, compounded by a suspension of the companys manufacturing license.

Biopartners ends supply agreement with TMH

19-Dec-2007 - Biopartners has terminated its supply agreement with The Medical House because of a go-slow in receiving functional drug delivery devices.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: people on the move

19-Dec-2007 - Eli Lilly, Shire, Pregis, and Eisai have all had people on the move in the world of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

18-Dec-2007

Affymetrix simplifies genetic copy number analysis

18-Dec-2007 - Affymetrix has launched a new analysis tool for determining genetic variations in whole-genome association and cytogenetic studies that is up to 10 times more sensitive than competing platforms.

Siegfried and Arena sign contract manufacturing deal

18-Dec-2007 - Siegfried has signed a $27.7m contract with Arena Pharmaceuticals to manufacture Arena's Phase III oral obesity drug candidate lorcaserin hydrochloride.

Chao Centre gets rights to manufacture TB drug

18-Dec-2007 - Eli Lilly has handed over the manufacturing reins of the antibiotic Seromycin to the Chao Centre for Industrial Pharmacy and Contract Manufacturing.

Harvard Bioscience knocks back Skystone takeover bid

18-Dec-2007 - Harvard Bioscience has rejected an unsolicited acquisition offer from Skystone Advisors to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock in the life science tools and instrument manufacturer.

Excipient market set to change, says report

18-Dec-2007 - Advances in the pharmaceutical industry are expected to have an impact on pharmaceutical excipients within the next decade, a new report claims.

17-Dec-2007

Pronova and FMC to develop seaweed-derived capsules

17-Dec-2007 - Pronova BioPharma and FMC Corporation have signed a license and development agreement to develop products using an alginate-based capsule technology.

Patheon reveals plans to tackle Puerto Rico problems

17-Dec-2007 - Patheon has finally revealed its plans to tackle the ongoing problems it has been facing with its Puerto Rican operations, which are draining the firm of profitability.

Japan says Tamiflu/psychiatric link unclear

17-Dec-2007 - Any link between the antiviral Tamiflu and neuropsychiatric problems is inconclusive, according to the Japanese Government.

Curiox' mini-bioassay tech to aid cheaper drug development

17-Dec-2007 - Curiox Biosystems has developed a miniaturisation platform that enables cheaper and more efficient bioassays to be conducted, potentially slashing the costs of life science and drug discovery research.

14-Dec-2007

Double whammy as Merck kids' vaccines recalled and suspended

14-Dec-2007 - Merck has been hit with a contamination threat prompting the recall of a million of its childhood Hib vaccines across the US, right alongside the Canadian suspension of its MMR...

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: news in brief

14-Dec-2007 - In-PharmaTechnologist.com brings you a selection of recent headlines from around the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

13-Dec-2007

Novozymes and Millipore to supply cell culture supplements

13-Dec-2007 - Novozymes and Millipore are to supply animal-free cell culture supplements to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Product news in brief - week 50

13-Dec-2007 - LabTechnologist.com brings you a round-up of new product releases from Applied Biosystems, Bio-Rad, Carl Zeiss, Hilden, Hoefer, Porvair, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Warner Instruments.

Novartis launches initiative with 2,500 job losses

13-Dec-2007 - Novartis is to sever a further 2,500 jobs as part of a new initiative aimed to 'improve competitiveness in a dynamically changing healthcare environment'.

Biomarker detection gets 'sticky'

13-Dec-2007 - US researchers have developed a fast and inexpensive protein biomarker detection device that could simplify disease diagnosis and aid in following disease progression in drug trials.

Pharmaceutical patent round-up

13-Dec-2007 - In-PharmaTechnologist.com brings you an update of pharmaceutical patent litigations.

China's API manufacturers facing further crackdowns

13-Dec-2007 - The first steps in tightening the safety controls on the pharmaceutical ingredients imported to the US from China have been taken following months of negotiations between the regulatory bodies of...

12-Dec-2007

BioWa and Lonza agreement for potent antibodies

12-Dec-2007 - BioWa and Lonza are joining forces to develop a new technology platform to produce more potent antibodies with enhanced cell-killing powers.

NNE wins Pronova contract

12-Dec-2007 - NNE Pharmaplan has won a contract with Pronova BioPharma to build the company's new pharma production facility in Kalundborg, Denmark.

Invitrogen 'clicks' with Harvard for assay tech

12-Dec-2007 - Invitrogen has exclusively licensed 'click chemistry' technology from Harvard University that greatly simplifies the fluorescent-labelling of biomolecules for use in proliferation assays.

West Pharma unit to suffer in post-Exubera fallout

12-Dec-2007 - The repercussions of Pfizer's dramatic Exubera exit are finally filtering through to West Pharmaceutical Services, with the company preparing to restructure its affected Tech Group contract manufacturing unit.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: people on the move

12-Dec-2007 - Vyteris, Sciele Pharma, Nektar Therapeutics, Fundamental Applied Biology and Artes Medical have all had people on the move in the world of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Mini synchrotron to ease structural analysis?

12-Dec-2007 - Researchers have developed a miniature synchrotron that could enable researchers to conduct protein crystallography experiments in their own university and 'revolutionise the way science is done'.

Merck confirms diabetes retreat

12-Dec-2007 - Merck Serono intends to forge ahead with severing its investment in diabetes and either sell or partner out its existing research and development (R&D) activities in this field, which it...

Industry news in brief - week 50

12-Dec-2007 - LabTechnologist.com brings you a periodic update of recent industry news with developments at EMD Chemicals, MicroCal, Oxford Gene Technology, Protagen, Syrris and Varian.

11-Dec-2007

Eli Lilly signals vigour for outsourcing

11-Dec-2007 - Eli Lilly is the latest big pharma company to signal plans of a vigorous commitment to outsourcing in a bid to prevent its fortunes fading.

Carl Zeiss licenses 'record-breaking' fluorescence technology

11-Dec-2007 - Microscopy expert-Carl Zeiss has licensed a new fluorescence microscopy technique that enables scientists to determine the precise intracellular location of proteins of interest.

GE Healthcare and Novavax collaborate on pandemic flu solution

11-Dec-2007 - GE Healthcare and Novavax have a vision - a state-of-the-art pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing facility solution with the ability to produce vaccines quickly, which can be marketed as a product...

Roche targets Ventana's board to force takeover

11-Dec-2007 - The latest twist in Roche's long-running bid to acquire diagnostics expert Ventana has seen the pharma giant announce it intends to elect directors to Ventana's board at its next AGM...

Hikma still in 'acquisition mode' on APM buy

11-Dec-2007 - Hikma has ticked another pharma firm off its shopping list as it acquires the Arab Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company (APM) for $163.6m.

10-Dec-2007

Transport wins for elecrokinetic drug delivery

10-Dec-2007 - Transport Pharmaceuticals has been named the 2007 North American Technology Innovation of the Year Award winner in electrokinesis-enabled drug delivery.

Puerto Rico pursuing biologic bucks

10-Dec-2007 - Puerto Rico is making a concerted effort to attract biologic investment dollars onto the island as it falls foul of a retreat from pharma firms seeking solid dose manufacturing.

Eisai continues biologics push with $3.9bn MGI Pharma buy

10-Dec-2007 - Japanese drugmaker Eisai has agreed to buy US biopharma firm MGI Pharma for $3.9bn (€2.7bn) in a bid to expand its US presence and strengthen its oncology pipeline.

Contract manufacturing news in brief

10-Dec-2007 - Vetter, New England Peptide, Urigen Pharmaceuticals, Servac, and Patheon have all recently announced contract manufacturing news.

07-Dec-2007

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: news in brief

07-Dec-2007 - In-PharmaTechnologist.com brings you a selection of recent headlines from around the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

Millipore partners Rohm and Haas to develop new chromatography media

07-Dec-2007 - Separations expert Millipore is collaborating with Rohm and Haas Company to develop new high-performance chromatography products for use in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

William Ransom & Son recall false contaminated products

07-Dec-2007 - UK-based William Ransom & Son has been advised to voluntarily recall certain products following a false contamination scare at its Witham, Essex, facility.

06-Dec-2007

Microfluidics promises a bright future for cell-based assays

06-Dec-2007 - UK researchers have published results that show that microfluidic devices can provide robust quantitative pharmacological information from low numbers of single cells.

Product news in brief - week 49

06-Dec-2007 - LabTechnologist.com brings you a periodic round up of new product releases from Carl Zeiss SMT, Genetix, Ludesi, Millipore, Nikon, Olympus and Wiley-VCH.

Genetic 'ID cards' enable meat traceability

06-Dec-2007 - A new genetic identity test that can be used to confirm the breed and origin of meat from farm animals has been developed to enable complete meat traceability.

DSM and Arch go for API manufacturing deal

06-Dec-2007 - DSM Anti-Infectives has signed up India's Arch Pharmalabs in a multi-year contract to manufacture generic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

BMS reveals plans to trim the fat

06-Dec-2007 - Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has finally detailed its plans to trim the fat and save cash, months after first revealing that big changes would be on the cards.

Sanofi steps up Asian investment

06-Dec-2007 - Sanofi-Aventis has opened its first Asian research and development centre in Goa, India, signalling its ambition to further tap in to this region's budding pharma scene.

Abbott cuts jobs, closes plant in Ireland

06-Dec-2007 - Abbott is to shut its doors on its Galway, Ireland, facility - taking 500 jobs with it - as the market moves into murky waters over the future of vascular stents.

05-Dec-2007

Industry news in brief - week 49

05-Dec-2007 - LabTechnologist.com brings you its periodic round up of industry news, with developments at Agilent, Beckman Coulter, Biolytix, Knome, Millipore, Nanogen and Qiagen.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: people on the move

05-Dec-2007 - Pharmaceutical Profiles, H.D. Smith, Consort Medical, Questcor Pharmaceuticals, and Sunesis Pharmaceuticals have all had people on the move in the world of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Luminex offers personalised miRNA panels

05-Dec-2007 - Luminex has expanded its range of FlexmiR miRNA assays with the addition of user-customisable panels that will enable researchers to study only those miRNAs they are interested in.

Combo products need guidelines

05-Dec-2007 - The combination products market is zooming ahead, requiring the need to address regulatory challenges, an author of a white paper says.

Arius and Avid team up

05-Dec-2007 - Arius Research and Avid Bioservices have joined forces in the manufacturing and development of an anticancer antibody.

Separating mixtures in an NMR machine

05-Dec-2007 - Canadian researchers have devised a method of extracting the complete proton NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectra for a component of a mixture without the need for physical separation.

04-Dec-2007

Bruker buys Bruker in cash and stock deal

04-Dec-2007 - Bruker BioSciences is to acquire the affiliated, but privately-held Bruker BioSpin group for $914m (€620m) in a bid to expand its distribution capabilities and increase its customer base.

Paraytec to lead biopharmaceutical sizing collaboration

04-Dec-2007 - Paraytec has been chosen to lead a £1m (€1.4m) consortium project to develop new analytical instruments that will detect aggregation in biopharmaceutical processing.

Medgenics gets (bio)pumping

04-Dec-2007 - Medgenics' Biopump could be the solution to the issues surrounding protein therapy and is set to take on the $51bn US biopharmaceutical market after raising £3.28m ($6.76m) in funding in...

CMC buys Lilly/ICOS facility

04-Dec-2007 - Denmark-based CMC Biopharmaceuticals has snapped up Eli Lilly's recently acquired biologics facility for an undisclosed amount.

Exiqon enters cancer diagnostic field with Oncotech acquisition

04-Dec-2007 - Gene expression analysis expert Exiqon is to pay up to $45m (€30.7m) for diagnostics company Oncotech as a first step towards becoming a world leading miRNA diagnostic manufacturer.

India's Glenmark pioneering through prioritising preclinical

04-Dec-2007 - Glenmark is one of a handful of pharma firms in India pushing forward a preclinical programme as a priority.

03-Dec-2007

Boehringer boosts biopharma base

03-Dec-2007 - Boehringer Ingelheim has completed a hefty makeover of its biopharmaceutical production plant in Biberach, Germany.

Almirall takes on big pharma in COPD

03-Dec-2007 - Spanish firm Almirall is working on a new chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment combined with a hi-tech easy use inhaler, creating what it hopes will be another competitive product...

Regeneron helps make Sanofi VelocImmune to its 'weak' pipeline

03-Dec-2007 - Sanofi-Aventis recently admitted it needed to increase the number of biotech compounds in its pipeline and now, true to its word, the French pharma heavyweight has signed a big antibody...

Pfizer plans more off-shoring and outsourcing

03-Dec-2007 - Pfizer is looking to Asia for both R&D and manufacturing outsourcing and to help it cut costs in a bid to mitigate the effects of patent expiries and competition from...

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