Scientists have discovered a technique that can ensure lab samples
stay at the right pH, even when frozen and the discovery could
bring into doubt previously published research.
New UK Government proposals to scrap Capital Gains Tax (CGT) relief
will stifle life science innovation, according to a group of
biotech small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Processing specialist Sartorius Stedim Biotech today announced a
cooperation and supply deal with systems manufacturing firm Paul
Mueller Company for the US market, with a production facility in
Pennsylvania set to close as a result.
Product recalls in the UK due to health and safety concerns have
shot up to their highest level, with the rise in outsourcing to
China finger pointed for much of the blame.
The Biotechnology Industry Organization has fired a broadside at
French President Nicolas Sarkozy after he banned a GM corn crop
without, it says, 'any scientific basis'.
Chemical and intermediates firm Lanxess has announced that its
subsidiary Saltigo is the proud new owner of a site in Washington
in the US, formerly used by Eli Lilly subsidiary, ICOS.
Japan's number two pharma firm has elected to set up significant
operations in India - the first Japanese pharma company planning to
plant itself in the country on such a scale.
Diagnostics firm bioMérieux has announced plans to shift activities
at its facility in the Netherlands to France, shutting down the
Dutch site as it continues to haemorrhage cash.
US firms Multispan and Promega have paired up to develop assay
tools for G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) screening, in the hope
of speeding up drug discovery on these, the most popular protein
targets in pharma.
Skin cancer detection specialists DermTech have decided to turn
their hand to acne after signing an agreement with Stiefel
Laboratories to identify spot-causing genes.
Roche today announced a handful of new charitable technology
transfer agreements with manufacturers in Africa and Asia, allowing
local production of generic HIV drugs.
Applied Biosystems (ABI) has teamed up with several service
providers to increase scientists' access to its SOLiD genome
analysis system and hopefully save them some money.
Millipore has announced the first fruit of its collaboration with
testing specialist Gen-Probe, with the launch of a new contaminant
detection system for biopharmaceutical manufacturers.
Although India 'has carved out a significant portion of the world
pharma pie', an enormous change in mindset is needed if the country
is to become a global pharmaceutical hub, according to a new report
from KPMG.
Dutch firm Crucell last week announced that it has entered into an
agreement with vaccine specialist Sanofi Pasteur for its next
generation rabies antibody cocktail.
Merck & Co has handed the reins of one of its US active
pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities over to
new a owner, who has also secured a lucrative contract
manufacturing deal with the drug giant.
PharmEng's subsidiary Keata Pharma is the new owner of Pfizer's
manufacturing facility in Arnprior, Canada, which the drug giant
has been trying to pass on for over a year.
US researchers have developed a new biochip technology that could
dramatically reduce the need for animal testing during drug
development safety studies.
Microarray expert Affymetrix is to buy molecular biology reagent
firm USB Corporation for $75m (€52m) in a bid to accelerate the
development of new genetic analysis tools.
UK-based William Ransom & Son has a shaky future ahead
following a disappointing and unacceptable six-month financial
report, compounded by a suspension of the companys manufacturing
license.
Harvard Bioscience has rejected an unsolicited acquisition offer
from Skystone Advisors to acquire all outstanding shares of common
stock in the life science tools and instrument manufacturer.
Siegfried has signed a $27.7m contract with Arena Pharmaceuticals
to manufacture Arena's Phase III oral obesity drug candidate
lorcaserin hydrochloride.
Patheon has finally revealed its plans to tackle the ongoing
problems it has been facing with its Puerto Rican operations, which
are draining the firm of profitability.
Curiox Biosystems has developed a miniaturisation platform that
enables cheaper and more efficient bioassays to be conducted,
potentially slashing the costs of life science and drug discovery
research.
Merck has been hit with a contamination threat prompting the recall
of a million of its childhood Hib vaccines across the US, right
alongside the Canadian suspension of its MMR vaccine.
The first steps in tightening the safety controls on the
pharmaceutical ingredients imported to the US from China have been
taken following months of negotiations between the regulatory
bodies of the two countries.
US researchers have developed a fast and inexpensive protein
biomarker detection device that could simplify disease diagnosis
and aid in following disease progression in drug trials.
Researchers have developed a miniature synchrotron that could
enable researchers to conduct protein crystallography experiments
in their own university and 'revolutionise the way science is
done'.
GE Healthcare and Novavax have a vision - a state-of-the-art
pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing facility solution with the
ability to produce vaccines quickly, which can be marketed as a
product to international countries.
Separations expert Millipore is collaborating with Rohm and Haas
Company to develop new high-performance chromatography products for
use in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
UK-based William Ransom & Son has been advised to voluntarily
recall certain products following a false contamination scare at
its Witham, Essex, facility.
A new genetic identity test that can be used to confirm the breed
and origin of meat from farm animals has been developed to enable
complete meat traceability.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has finally detailed its plans to trim
the fat and save cash, months after first revealing that big
changes would be on the cards.
LabTechnologist.com brings you a periodic round up of new product
releases from Carl Zeiss SMT, Genetix, Ludesi, Millipore, Nikon,
Olympus and Wiley-VCH.
UK researchers have published results that show that microfluidic
devices can provide robust quantitative pharmacological information
from low numbers of single cells.
Sanofi-Aventis has opened its first Asian research and development
centre in Goa, India, signalling its ambition to further tap in to
this region's budding pharma scene.
Gene expression analysis expert Exiqon is to pay up to $45m
(€30.7m) for diagnostics company Oncotech as a first step towards
becoming a world leading miRNA diagnostic manufacturer.
Medgenics' Biopump could be the solution to the issues surrounding
protein therapy and is set to take on the $51bn US
biopharmaceutical market after raising £3.28m ($6.76m) in funding
in its Initial Public Offering.
Bruker BioSciences is to acquire the affiliated, but privately-held
Bruker BioSpin group for $914m (€620m) in a bid to expand its
distribution capabilities and increase its customer base.