The boundary between the pharma and biotech industries will become
incresingly blurred over the next 10 years, with the latter
enjoying stronger growth, writes Phil Taylor.
Merck KGaA announced its intention to relocate its pharmaceutical
research operations in Scotland to its larger biotech research
facility in the United States, withdrawing its DeImmunisation
technology service at the same time.
BioInvent become the latest company to enter the HIV/AIDS drug
arena after UK authorities gave the go ahead to commence the
company's first clinical trial of its human antibody to treat the
virus.
Norbrook Laboratories of Northern Ireland has acquired two
anaesthetic product lines and a production facility from Czech
company Synthesia, part of the Aliachem group, reports Phil
Taylor.
NextGen Sciences has launched an "automation-friendly" range of
consumables, designed to maximise throughput and productivity for
protein expression. The products have been designed to reduce error
and increase expression...
US generic company Able Laboratories ceased all its manufacturing
and recalled products yesterday after major problems emerged with
its quality control procedures, reports Phil Taylor.
GlaxoSmithKline is planning to use a series of packaging and
on-tablet technologies to prevent parallel trade in its HIV drugs
Combivir (zidovudine and lamivudine) and Epivir (lamivudine),
writes Phil Taylor.
The primary difficulty facing anyone given the task of designing a
state-of-the-art laboratory is that they generally don't have
access to a crystal ball to tell them exactly what will be at the
leading edge of technology in...
An antifungal product in development at France's BioAlliance Pharma
has been shown to treat a yeast infection in the mouth with similar
efficacy but 10 times less drug than its nearest competitor,
reports Phil Taylor.
Qiagen has released two protein purification kits that provide
affordable automation as a way to increase throughput and free up
valuable manpower for less routine tasks.
Editors of eleven international medical journals have amplified
their call for the registration of drug trials before the first
patient is enrolled,in a medium that is fully searchable and
publicly accessible at no charge.
Novis Pharmaceutical and Science Division (UK) is looking for three
strong sales and business developers to take our award winning
daily online news services to the next level.
BioProgress has appointed Richard Trevillion as chief
executive, bolstering its executive management just over a month
after the dosage film specialist issued a trading statement that
sparked a 40 per cent slump in its UK-listed shares,...
Companies that want to develop systems that comply with the US Food
and Drug Administration's PAT (process analytical technology)
recommendations can tap into a new modular fluid handling and
measurement concept in development...
Belgium's Printing International introduced a single-station
version of its ultra high quality (UHQ) tablet printing technology
into the US market via local distributor AC Compacting.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has created a Centre of Excellence for
External Drug Discovery (CEEDD) that aims to provide GSK with
alternative scientific and drug discovery approaches. The CEEDD
also aims to exploit the full potential of...
Biotechnology company, Biogen has announced the identification of a
molecule that may play a key role in the repair and regeneration of
the central nervous system (CNS). The finding could lead to
potential pathways for treating multiple...
Chiral Quest has opened up a production facility near Shanghai in
China, to tap into the trend by pharmaceutical companies to site
manufacturing operations in the region, writes Phil Taylor.
According to a new survey, there are currently 399 new medicines in
development now to treat cancer. The survey shows that many of
these medicines represent potential breakthrough cancer treatments,
while others involve possible new...
Scientists have reported that a molecule previously thought to play
a purely structural and inert role in cells may play a key role in
bringing about multidrug resistance in cancer.
US researchers have developed the first animal model that clearly
defines cancer metastasises in all the same places that human
pancreatic cancer spreads to such as the liver, lungs, diaphragm,
and adrenal glands.
According to a new report the struggle to meet the escalating
health problem of an increasingly ageing population is being
replaced by a focus on treatment that prevents or delays the onset
of disease, personalising medicine to each...
Rohm and Haas' Advanced Biosciences division has launched a new
product in its Amberchrom range of chromatographic resins that can
replace and improve on silica in the final stages of biologics
purification.
A new understanding of specialised gut hormones may lead to
advances in the treatment and management of type 2 diabetes,
offering patients a viable option in controlling fluctuating blood
glucose levels that is characteristic of the...
Biotechnology company, Affitech, has entered into a collaboration
agreement for two promising new cancer-specific human antibodies
using its Cell-Based Antibody Selection technology (CBAS).
In the wake of the latest American Society of Clinical Oncology's
(ASCO) annual conference, drug companies from around the world
showcased potential drug treatments, with a number of new molecular
targets as well as therapy strategies...
Switzerland's Siegfried Group, a specialist in active
pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), dosage forms and
biopharmaceuticals, has boosted its position in the production of
controlled substances with the acquisition of US-based...
Digital imaging specialists Nikon has launched a new spectral
detector that captures images faster with a single scan over the
full spectral range. The quality of images obtained from multiple
fluorescence probes within a sample will...
A single injection could replace implants for some drugs that
require continuous administration, according to preliminary
experiments with a novel drug delivery technology, reports Phil
Taylor.
NovAseptic has launched a low volume product in its NovaSeptum
range of sterile disposable sampling systems, to cater for what it
says is the growing requirement for small, accurate volume sampling
in the drug industry.
MedImmune has announced Phase I clinical trial results of an
antibody that appeared to be safe and well tolerated in patients
with certain T-cell lymphomas and leukemias. The results signify
the emergence of monoclonal antibodies...
Qiagen and Procognia have entered into a marketing and licensing
agreement, which targets the emerging field of protein
glycoanalysis. The combination of Qproteome products with
Procognia's On-Chip Glycoanalysis technology aims...
Engineers in the US have found a way to modify a plastic so that it
can anchor molecules that promote nerve regeneration, blood vessel
growth or other biological processes.
Biotechnology company, ArQule, have reported evidence of
anti-tumour activity of its drug candidate that has a mechanism of
action based on its Activated Checkpoint Therapy (ACT) platform and
represents the latest monotherapeutic...
Mathis Instruments has introduced a wireless version of its
effusivity sensor - the ESP - that is suitable for use in
pharmaceutical production settings, reports Phil Taylor.
Osteoporosis, which has developed into a multibillion-dollar
market, and is dominated by Merck's Fosamax and Proctor &
Gamble/Sanofi-Aventis' Actonel, now faces new competition after the
Food and Drug Administration...
Magellan Biosciences has acquired TekCel, a tool provider for life
science research, in a move that adds automated sample-management
to its advanced technology portfolio for life science customers.
A former editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) claims that
medical journals are an extension of the marketing arm of
pharmaceutical companies, placing editors in difficult positions as
company-funded trials are becoming increasingly...
Packaging giant Alcan has reached an agreement to purchase
Interglass, a privately owned company that makes glass vials and
ampoules, in a move that expands Alcan Packaging's position in the
North American pharmaceutical packaging...
Fonterra subsidiary Lactose New Zealand will supply GlaxoSmithKline
with half its global requirement for inhalation-grade lactose from
a newly opened plant, reports Phil Taylor.
A study showing that drugs distributed in blister packages rather
than in bottles increase the likelihood that medications will be
taken properly, could help encourage the take-up of unit-dose
packaging in the US market, reports Phil...
According to a latest study, which revealed the presence of a
unique genetic biomarker, the quality of life for patients
undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer may be significantly
improved, potentially minimising the unwanted...
According to a new report, Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex is the
leading mass spectrometer brand in all regions and market segments.
Suppliers in this market will benefit from the 19 per cent of mass
spectrometer users surveyed who...
Agilent Technologies is to open a new Life Sciences and Chemical
Analysis (LSCA) technical training centre in Shanghai in a move
that reflects the current trend for biotech companies to divert
resources to offshoring operations.
US nanotechnology company NanoInk has said it wants to forge
partnerships with packaging companies to develop a layered brand
protection solution for pharmaceutical customers.