US scientists have discovered a way to improve the effectiveness of
antisense cancer drugs that involve using gold nanoparticles, which
when combined with DNA, outperform conventional antisense agents.
Researchers, who believe they have discovered only the third
entirely new antibiotic developed in the last four decades, have
developed an antibiotic, which targets microorganisms that include
MRSA.
The market for smart pharma packaging will grow to $1.7bn (€1.3bn)
in 2013 from the current $21m, driven by the need for new clinical
trial compliance-and brand protection measures, according to a new
forecast report.
Following disappointing financial results in 2005, Italian
packaging group IMA has swung into profit in the first quarter of
2006 from a loss in the first quarter of 2005, buoyed by an upswing
in orders from the pharmaceutical industry.
Cardinal Health has taken the contract manufacturing crown after
being honoured with a prestigious award from Frost & Sullivan
in recognition of its ability to provide biopharma firms with a
high quality service, while still remaining...
Scientists seeking new ways to produce Roche's flu drug Tamiflu
(oseltamivir) have published two new syntheses based on cheaper
starting materials than the conventional method.
Covance has stepped up its laboratory testing capabilities in the
Asia Pacific region to satisfy the growing number of sponsors
conducting clinical studies in this budding location.
A novel lab technique, which involves RNA interference to silence
genes in immune cells, is set to provide biology researchers
broader access to RNA interference, especially for scientists doing
research in immunology.
Sentry Logistic Solutions has debuted on the pharma scene,
launching a new range of services dedicated soley to the cold-chain
logistics, storage and packing of bulk pharmaceutical and
biotechnology components and finished products.
Berthold Technologies used Analytica to showcase its innovative new
instruments that will open up new opportunities for users in
bioimedical and pharmaceutical research.
UK firm Avecia Biotechnology has been given a £1m (€1.5m) grant to
lead a three year project to establish a faster and cheaper
bioprocessing technology for advanced tissue engineering, primarily
to develop new skin to heal burns victims.
Registration is now open for this year's International Society for
Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) European Congress. The topic of
focus is science-based manufacturing for the next decade.
Analytical instrument maker Thermo has announced it will promote
compatibility between its RESULT software and CAMO's Unscrambler
software, bringing together the most powerful near infrared (NIR)
analysers in the industry.
Genentech has entered into a collaboration with biopharmaceutical
firm Immunogen to develop a commercial manufacturing process for
its anticancer drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) using its
tumour-activated prodrug (TAP) technology.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has made the unprecedented step of
pledging his personal support for animal testing, provoking an
angry reaction from anti-vivisectionists.
deCODE and Illumina have entered an agreement to develop and
commercialise DNA-based diagnostics, in which deCODE will use
Illumina's SNP genotyping platform to expand its contract
genotyping business.
Pliva, Eastern Europe's biggest drug maker by sales, saw its
profits take a massive dive in the first quarter of 2006, as a huge
loss of royalties could not be offset by the relatively small
growth in its generics business.
Lab equipment specialists Gilson, were present at Analytica 2006,
with a whole host of products designed for research and analytical
preparations. The company attend the show with a view to strengthen
its foothold in the burgeoning...
Preliminary data from the first year of the EU's greenhouse gas
trading scheme has highlighted disparities in the allocation of
plant outputs and in the tracking of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions, yet, all in all, pharma has...
Bang & Olufsen Medicom has joined with specialist device
manufacturer Bespak to co-develop and co-market a new single
increment dose counting inhaler for the expanding asthma and COPD
(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) market.
As PRA International's profits tumble on the back of a major
contract loss, coupled with ongoing delays in its biotech
contracts, the company has introduced new project efficiency
measures and is focusing on increasing its international...
Under pressure to ensure cheap supplies of its flu drug in Africa
in preparation for a possible avian influenza, Roche has asked
contract manufacturer Aspen Pharmacare to produce finished doses of
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) in Africa.
Nikon launches a new three-laser entry-level confocal microscope,
which builds on the technology of its entry-level system, which
meets the growing popularity of confocal imaging in research
applications.
The Tech Group has experienced a quarter of explosive growth as it
ramps up production for the launch of Exubera - Pfizer's
newly-approved and much-anticipated needle-free insulin.
SAFC Biosciences has unveiled an analogue of insulin specifically
designed for the large-scale manufacturing of recombinant
biopharmaceuticals, promising security of supply and product
consistency.
SAFC Biosciences has unveiled an analogue of insulin specifically
designed for the large-scale manufacturing of recombitant
biopharmaceuticals, promising security of supply and product
consistency.
Scientists at Atugen, a German-based firm, have successfully used a
new RNA interference (RNAi) technology to reduce tumour growth and
spread, according to new research published.
Surface modification firm SurModics has acquired Intralytix's
polyester-amide (PEA) biodegradable polymers, boosting the
company's capacity for specific drug delivery, a capability in high
demand by its customers.
Vaccine developer Iomai has announced results of a clinical trial
showing its new dry patch formulation for travelers' diarrhea can
trigger a stronger immune response than its wet patch, promising a
vaccine that is easier to...
A new study has suggested a new approach to drug design, which
recommends that a loose fit may be the best fit especially when
producing drugs for thyroid related conditions.
European researchers have unlocked more secrets of how the HIV and
SARS virus operates, which if exploited could be the starting point
for a host of effective antiviral drugs that combat the virus'
mechanism of action.
Fresh from its recent acquisition, Applied Biosystems (AB) made an
appearance at the recent Analytica show in which the company
demonstrated the capabilities of its products for life science
research in the laboratory.
Abbott Laboratories has reached a settlement with the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after it was found not
complying with leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements for
hazardous air pollutants at its manufacturing plant...
Chemicals and nutrition group DSM has reported strong profits for
the first quarter in 2006, including in its pharma business, as
higher prices and lower costs have helped it overcome the increase
in raw material costs.
Swiss biopharmaceutical firm Biopartners has got the thumbs up from
the European Commission for its biosimilar drug Valtropin, making
it only the second biogeneric drug to have been approved in Europe
after Sandoz's Omnitrope...
The move to make pharmaceutical companies more open to scrutiny has
taken a new direction as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
moves to adopt a system that will allow the electronic coding of
crucial terms used in prescription...
A new range of liquid pumps, which feature completely inert pumping
heads, are causing waves within the chemical manufacturing
industry, with the ability to mimic full scale production plant
conditions in a laboratory environment.
Agilent has launched a new line of HPLC columns, which is set to
deliver industry-leading separation performance for analytical,
high-resolution and fast LC applications, including pharmaceutical,
QA/QC, environmental and food-safety...
A research team think that they have discovered a new mechanism
that details the role of sugar in cell communication, which paves
the way for the development of drugs for cancer and rheumatism.
Parexel has expanded its regulatory and clinical development
services in the booming Latin American region, recently opening a
new location in Mexico City.
The High Court in the UK has granted an injunction to protect
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shareholders against the recent threat posed
by animal extremists, who contacted investors by mail warning them
to sell their shares in the company.
According to a new study, efforts to increase R&D pipeline
productivity have never been more aggressive, with clinical
outsourcing being one strategy employed by big pharma to lift
itself out of the doldrums.
PPD managed a 42 per cent jump in pre-tax profit to the tune of
$63.8m (€50.1m) in the first quarter, fuelled by a strong growth in
new clinical trials business and helped by a milestone payment in
the discovery sciences segment.
PerkinElmer were out in force at Analytica 2006, with a wealth of
analytical solutions designed with the laboratory in mind along
with the applications relevant to the environmental,
pharmaceutical, materials and academic research...
Targeting the market for enantiomerically pure drugs, SAFC, a
custom manufacturing group within Sigma-Aldrich, has acquired
Honeywell International's Iropharm unit in Arklow, Ireland.
While European producers of active pharmaceutical ingredients
(APIs) will see their share of the global market fall in the next
few years, Asian markets are growing at phenomenal rates, with
India set to supplant Italy as the second...
A new vaccine, which can be distributed without refrigeration and
is stable at room temperature for prolonged periods, could ease the
threat of supply problems with pandemic influenza vaccines by
allowing safe stockpiling of the treatment.
A new report suggests the increasing number of collaboration
between pharmaceutical and biotech companies is fuelled by a steep
decline in innovation levels as well as the growing threat from
generics and drug recalls.
Biochemical firm Berry & Associates has been awarded $749,000
(€589,079) by the US government to further develop its
oligonucleotide (oligo) purification technique which is
operationally similar to conventional reverse-phase (RP)...
