Drug developing services provider Aptuit has acquired the
pharmaceutical services division of technology firm EaglePicher,
enriching its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and drug
substance manufacturing offerings.
Researchers believe that they have discovered a new treatment for
the severest form of Malaria, which may be able to help in
preventing the two million lives the disease claims each year.
The founder of start-up pharmaceutical company has been charged in
a US federal court with assuming the identity of an employee of
Nabi Biopharmaceuticals in order to obtain information useful in
the generic production of a kidney...
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...
Illumina has made available the world's first multi-sample
whole-genome genotyping arrays that allow researchers to analyse
two samples simultaneously - useful when studying genetic variation
in disease in greater detail.
Several drug development companies are implementing leaner business
models, outsourcing nearly all stages of the drug development
process in response to escalating development costs in a move that
is proving increasingly popular within...
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.
Targeting the market for drug metabolite identification and
biomarker discovery, Tandem Labs has acquired PharmaKD, a
Massachussets-based division of Linden Technologies.
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 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...
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 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.
Scientists have isolated a single protein that has a key role in
diabetes development, which could form the basis for new drug
therapies that could effectively treat a disease that has become
endemic.
With the cost of drug development expected to reach $1.9bn (€1.5bn)
by 2013, the pressure is on to reduce R&D development time and
cost without sacrificing clinical success rate.
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.
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.
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...
When it comes to managing an early phase research and clinical
development programme, drug companies have three choices - each
with their own pros and cons.
Chemir Analytical Services, the new owner of Gateway Chemical
Technology, has renamed the custom chemical analysis business
IQsynthesis in a revamp effort.
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...
INC Research has expanded its late phase contract research
capabilities with the purchase of a contract research organisation
(CRO) in Philadelphia, US.
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...
Automation equipment provider Contax has increased productivity and
efficiency in one of AstraZeneca's packaging lines by installing a
new specialist conveyor.
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...
Drug makers need to put in place greater cold chain management
capacity, in house or by outsourcing the service, as the biotech
market continues to boom.
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...
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...
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.
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.
Researchers have isolated two proteins, which are involved in
stopping a gene from producing a protein that is essential for
cancer cell proliferation. The gene could form the basis for an
anti-cancer agent that targets this mechanism.
Mirus Bio has made available a new RNAi tool that analyses gene
function in vivo that allows scientists to study the biological and
physiological impact of a change in gene expression, which is
useful in the identification of new...
German drug manufacturer, Merck has acquired the Swiss biotech
company Serono in a deal worth SFr16.6bn (€10.4bn) that has taken
the industry by surprise and could signal the start of considerable
consolidation for big pharma.
AstraZeneca has entered into an agreement with two Contract
Research Organisations (CROs) with the intention of expanding
AstraZeneca's small molecule libraries and enhancing its global
drug discovery offerings.
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.
Avidia has initiated a clinical trial for the novel inhibitor of a
protein for Crohn's disease as a potential treatment that belongs
to a new class of therapeutic proteins known as Avimer proteins.
A key study performed by US scientists has uncovered detailed
structural changes, which a catalytic enzyme undergoes in order to
carry out its biological function. The findings challenge
traditional hypothesis and may aid in future...
Instrumentation supplier TTP LabTech has just launched a new
business aimed at providing integrated custom automation systems to
the pharmaceutical industry.
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...
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...
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.
Pfizer has revealed details of its new agreement with Transtech
Pharma in which the two companies will focus on the receptor for
advanced glycation end products (RAGE) with potential for use in
treating Alzheimer's disease.
Most drug companies are not planning to increase the level of sales
and marketing IT they outsource over the next 3-5 years - a sign
that this niche segment may be bucking the wider pharmaceutical
industry outsourcing trend.
Researchers have isolated a protein that appears to encourage cell
movement when tumours begin to spread to other parts of the body
opening up the way for a drug that could block the beginning of
this dangerous process, or stop it...
According to a senior figure in the outsourcing industry, high
content screening (HCS) is set to overtake current methods as the
preferred technique of generating hits with the greatest interest
coming from the oncology sector.
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...