Merck Serono's new and improved version of its blockbuster multiple
sclerosis (MS) drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) has been approved in
the EU, providing a little added protection to the company's MS
franchise.
New research has shown that silica nanowires can be used to deliver toxic agents into both human and bovine epithelial cell lines, opening up new options for drug targeting and delivery.
LabTechnologist.com brings you its periodic round up of new product
releases and product news, with new offerings from Aura, Horiba
Jobin Yvon, Integra, Metrohm, Millipore, Promega, Roche and Thermo
Fisher Scientific.
In the latest phase of growth at chemical firm SAFC's flagship high
potency active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs) facility in
Madison, Wisconsin, the site will be treated to another
multi-million dollar expansion and new...
Two big players in the early stage contract research organisation
(CRO) arena have announced this week they are expanding their
preclinical capabilities in Canada as demand for preclinical
testing is rising.
PDL Biopharma has seen a week of drama after announcing a
restructure that left its key investor calling for the company
chairman to resign, a week after its CEO also decided to step
down after similar pressure.
Micromet is sticking to its research into cell adhesion antibodies
to treat breast cancer and other tumours, hoping it will have more
luck than GlaxoSmithKline and Centocor's failed attempt.
Sigma-Aldrich has launched a new technology that promises to
dramatically simplify and speed-up high-throughput (HT) RNAi
screening of the human kinome.
Lonza's $200m (€147m) investment in China is continuing to shape up
as the firm announced its new small-scale exclusive synthesis
manufacturing plant will be up and running next month.
A long-acting biologic being co-developed by Novartis to treat
chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has triggered a $40m (€29.3m)
milestone for its development partner after clearing Phase II
trials in April.
Results from a Phase II study of a prolonged release formulation of
octreotide look encouraging for the treatment of acromegaly,
according to Ambrilia Biopharma.
Vioxx (rofecoxib) might have been offered a lifeline with the news
that the drug could be used safely, so long as drugs such as
GlaxoSmithKline's investigational dyslipidaemia compound are
administered at the same time.
ALK-Abello will be funding a new DKK 300m (€40.3m) production line
dedicated to its oral grass pollen allergy vaccine at Catalent
Pharma Solutions' UK facility.
24 hours after announcing EU approval of its hypertension drug
Rasilez (aliskiren), Novartis has unveiled plans for a major
expansion to production facilities in Switzerland.
A US judge has backed Amgen's court motion, ruling that Roche's
Mircera infringes one of its composition patents. Roche is standing
firm against the allegations.
Novartis last week began construction of a major new flu vaccine
manufacturing facility in North Carolina, the very first cell
culture-derived flu vaccine plant in the United States.
In a round up of the latest news in pharma research, Pfizer and
Bristol-Myers Squibb have big plans for DGAT-1 in obesity and
diabetes, GlaxoSmithKline is extra keen on Exelixis' anticancer
drug, Takeda is talking TLRs and UK...
New data have raised 'serious questions' about whether Arpida's new
antibiotic will be approved by industry regulators, according to
one analyst's report.
A new device has been developed enabling researchers to study the
stability of therapeutic proteins against shear stresses to allow
better bioprocess optimisation.
Investment mogul Carl Icahn could get ready to buy further shares
of biotech company Biogen Idec after getting the green light from
the competition regulators.
Novartis is to pull millions of planned investment dollars out of
India in reaction to intellectual property (IP) fears. The decision
may leave China as the cat that got the cream.
The UK's drug reimbursement watchdog has given the green light for
the first time to a treatment specifically for multiple sclerosis
(MS) and also gave the thumbs up to two arthritis drugs, all of
which are biologics.
A new guide on the prickly issue of electronic data archiving has
been published for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, the
latest offering from the International Society for Pharmaceutical
Engineering (ISPE).
Amgen is rushing to discover how interleukin-17 causes
inflammation and bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis, as it
could provide a valuable new therapeutic target.
Symyx Technologies has released a machine designed to automate the
sample preparation stage of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
solubility experiments, saving researchers valuable time.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is following the growing
pharma industry trend by embracing outsourcing as part of a
cost-saving drive - a move that is attracting strong opposition.
A team of scientists at Biogen Idec have unveiled preclinical data
for a potential protein therapeutic to treat Alzheimer's, a disease
normally only attacked using small molecules due to delivery
issues.
A global packaging firm has hooked up with a company specialising
in electronic disease management solutions to develop a new
generation of electronically-enhanced pharmaceutical packaging.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) have made
further moves in their plans to boost their presence in Singapore,
a region growing in popularity for biopharmaceutical research and
manufacture.
Two North American contract research organisation (CROs) have this
week announced acquisitive moves into emerging clinical trials
markets, while a third firm has extended an Asian partnership, as
the emerging market migration continues.
Pfizer announced today it is breaking ground on a $50m expansion of
its biologics pilot plant in Chesterfield in a move that comes at
time when the drug giant is cutting back in other business
areas.
Adams Respiratory Therapeutics is positive about its plans to build
its prescription products portfolio after announcing its financial
results for the 2007 fourth quarter and year-end.
Swiss firm Novartis has gained US approval of its once-yearly
treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis, with EU approval
expected to follow hot on its heels.
The Medical House (TMH) has sold its SQ-PEN needle-free insulin
injector business as it moves away from supplying the product to
private individuals to focus more on its drug delivery systems
business.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals still believed it was on track for meeting
US regulatory deadlines for pancreatic insufficiency drugs despite
receiving an approvable letter for its own newly formulated drug
Creon.
Through a new service partnership, Applied Biosystems is helping
scientists study genetic variations - even if they can't access or
afford the necessary lab equipment.
