In the fight against tuberculosis in Africa a group from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has invented a smart
electromechanical pill box designed to help patients comply with
their treatment.
The threat of intimidation, harrassment and violence by
animal extremist goups has prompted new recommendations
detailing measures scientific institutions can take to protect
laboratory researchers.
Pfizer's announcement of plans to create a new €130m inhaled
medicines unit at its facility in Amboise, France suggests that the
firm is still intent on investing in inhalation technology, despite
its disappointment with Exubera.
Beckman Coulter saw its fourth quarter earnings held back by
the cost of acquiring NexGen Diagnostics, but the
underlying business was strong with a near-11 per cent hike in
revenues.
After several years, Invitrogen and Agilent have at last settled
patent infringement court cases concerning tools used in
complementary DNA synthesis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and
other molecular biology applications.
Four of India's biggest vaccine manufacturers have had their
licenses suspended by the Indian government after failing to meet
good manufacturing practise (GMP) requirements, according to local
media reports.
A new study has demonstrated for the first that microneedle
technology is able to overcome some of the barriers preventing the
transdermal administration of drugs with low bioavailability.
The green tea polyphenol (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) may slash
the risk of gastric cancer among women by 75 per cent, suggests a
new study from Japan.
A new process for synthesising anti-inflammatory drugs such as
ibuprofen could offer an environmentally friendly means of avoiding
the 50 per cent waste seen with current methods of synthesis.
Pharmaceutical Products Development (PPD) has announced it is
moving into Russia, along with the news of positive trial results
for its statin, although profits dipped again during the fourth
quarter of 2007 as its R&D bill mounts.
A proposed rule on labelling changes published by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has re-ignited the reliably inflammable debate
over the role of pre-emption in US product liability cases.
Cambridge Major Laboratories (CML) said it is planning to execute a
$30m expansion project which will spawn one of most modern active
pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing sites in North
America.
Germany put in a strong showing as category winners were announced
for the fourth annual Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA)
recognising innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing projects.
Artel has introduced a new feature for its Multichannel
Verification System (MVS), which includes an automation function
that allows for time savings and reducing human error.
Alpharma has signed a definitive agreement with private equity
group 3i for the sale of its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
business, pocketing $395m in the deal to reinvest in its
pharmaceutical and animal health divisions.
With increasing pressures on pharma pipelines leading to greater
interest in compound licensing, firms can be caught out by failing
to give scalability issues due attention, according to Joseph
D'Antuono speaking at last week's...
Spirax Sarco Engineering, the UK-based group focused on systems for
the use and control of steam and industrial fluids, is boosting its
activities in the biopharmaceuticals sector through the acquisition
of Denmark's Flexicon...
German pharmaceutical packaging group Gerresheimer has once again
extended its reach in the plastic packaging space, this time
acquiring Allplas Embalagens, the market leader for pharmaceutical
plastic packaging in Brazil.
Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) has launched LabLinker, a free
online system for sharing genome sequence data and even share
shipping costs of orders.
Cellexus Biosystems, the UK company that designs, manufactures and
sells disposable cell growth technology for the biopharmaceutical
industry, is extending the rental plan offered on its CellMaker
Lite2 single-use bioreactor in response...
A new technique that analyses the structural characteristics, and
not the sequence, of DNA has revealed previously unknown areas of
the human genetic code responsible for gene expression.
The Spanish subsidiary of UK-based biological nanoparticles
specialist Midatech Group has signed a licence agreement giving it
new leeway to exploit the therapeutic potential of noble metal
nanoparticles.
Researchers can now reduce the cost and time taken to breed goats
that can produce therapeutic proteins using gene therapy.
Experts say these transgenic animals could cut the cost of insulin
and other cancer-fighting proteins.
A delegation from the Scotland's chemicals industry descended on
the recent Informex trade show in New Orleans, determined to
convince the assembled industry representatives that the country
should be at the top of the list for...
MDS Pharma Services is the latest contract research organisation
(CRO) to branch out into a new and exotic emerging market location,
with the establishment of an office in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
An Indian contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) firm
is planning to plant its roots in the US to try and drum up more
business in this lucrative market.
Emerging markets, headed by China and India are tipped
to remain hot destinations for venture capital (VC)
investments this year, according to a recent survey by KPMG.
US biotech Neose Technologies has dropped its lead compound,
NE-180, a PEGylated form of erythropoietin, from development,
saying concerns over the safety of erythropoiesis-stimulating
agents (ESAs) have blunted not only the drug's...
Novartis has been given a warning by US regulators detailing
significant failures in its investigation into tracking down the
source of contamination in some of its vaccines.
Plexera Biosciences is hoping to leave its rivals in its wake
following an exclusive option agreement for Auguron Biosciences'
DNA-based protein chips.
US contract manufacturer Catalent Pharma Solutions has leveraged
its partnership with Secure Symbology (SSI) for track and trace
barcode technology to help biopharmaceutical company Biogen Idec
comply with California's pending...
Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) has initiated central
laboratory services in China in response to the country's budding
clinical trials scene.
At this week's Informex show in New Orleans, experts at a packed
out session discussed the potential of up-and-coming continuous
processing technologies and posed the question: is batch processing
yesterday's technology?
A new, non-invasive device for monitoring oxygen content in
packaging and other enclosed containers has been launched by US
optical sensing specialist Ocean Optics.
US researchers have developed a method of treating waste water that
is effective in stripping out hormonal compounds thought to arise
from the use and manufacturing of contraceptives and other
pharmaceutical and industrial products.
WaferGen has launched a new subsidiary in Kedah, Malaysia, with the
express purpose of overseeing research and development of its
real-time PCR system.
In any laboratory, or indeed in any pharmaceutical manufacturing
facility, one of the major expenses will be solvents. And just like
the price of petrol and diesel it just keeps going up and up.
Huw Kidwell examines how a new recycling...
Merck & Co has expanded its licensing agreement with SurModics
in a further endorsement of the latter's I-vation drug delivery
system for eye diseases.
Thermo Fisher Scientific aims to make automation in the drug
discovery lab a whole lot easier through the development of an
articulated robot specifically designed for pharmaceutical
applications.
Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) is on the receiving end of
Allergan's decision to outsource its IT functions, inking a $130m
contract with the specialty pharma firm.
