Pfizer may have given up on its non-injectable insulin, but
researchers in the US think they may have cracked a way to deliver
the hormone orally, linking it up to vitamin B12 to protect it
through the digestive system.
King Pharmaceuticals last week announced that it would be cutting
20 per cent of its workforce after the US Court of Appeals reversed
a previous court ruling and invalidated a patent covering the
firm's blood pressure drug, Altace...
With yesterday's perhaps unsurprising news that Pfizer has cut its
losses and pulled out of the inhaled insulin market by dropping
Exubera and giving up on second generation devices, the world's
biggest pharma firm is in...
Roche heard early this morning that the European Commission (EC)
has decided to reinstate the marketing authorisation for the
company's HIV drug, Viracept (nelfinavir), but countries outside
the EU have yet to make a final decision.
French firm Diatos has created a second generation irinotecan
cancer therapy using its patented peptide-based drug delivery
system, coming up with a drug that has greatly improved efficacy
and safety profile compared to current irinotecan...
Pfizer revealed today that it is abandoning its once-touted
blockbuster Exubera, ending months of speculation as to whether the
fledging world-first inhalable insulin would sink or swim in the
fierce waters of pharma.
Drug formulation and delivery specialist Orexo has decided it has
had enough of improving established drugs and wants to develop its
own, so has bought speciality pharma firm Biolipox.
Researchers have developed a new microfluidic device that enables
high-throughput (HT), cell-free protein synthesis for genomic and
proteomic functional analysis.
US-based contract manufacturer AMRI has been busily embracing India
with the purchase and construction of infrastructure to cement
itself in this popular location, delegates heard at this year's
CPhI in Milan.
Two manufacturers launched their docetaxel products at CPhI last
week, each trying to stake their claim in the market in
anticipation of patent expiries on Sanofi-Aventis' Taxotere
(docetaxel) towards the end of the year.
Dutch chemicals and excipients distributor Univar has hooked up
with US manufacturer Innophos to provide the EU pharmaceutical
market with its entire portfolio of excipients, helping to fill the
gap left by the departure of Rhodia...
German researchers have shown 3D cell structures better resemble
tumour phenotypes than traditional cultures, suggesting they will
make better models for testing new anticancer agents.
The European Fine Chemicals Group (EFCG) has called for stricter
regulation of pharmaceutical excipients in a bid to prevent
substandard and potentially dangerous products ending up in
medicinal drugs.
Forget diamonds, a new vaginal gel contraceptive could be the
21st Century girl's new best friend with the ability to
be applied up to 18 hours before a naughty rendezvous.
SAFC has announced its plans to build a new high potency
conjugation suite at its Missouri manufacturing plant in order to
target pharma clients developing novel anti-cancer drug conjugates.
An extended release formulation of an asthma treatment recently
recommended by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program
has been launched on the US market.
Novo Nordisk is in the process of relocating its clinical data
management centre to India after closing down the operation in
Singapore, where it had been previously run for many years.
Biogen Idec has bagged two new partnerships in the past week which
will see it involved in the search for new drugs for central
nervous system (CNS) and inflammatory ailments.
DBV Technologies is advancing into the realm of allergy treatment
and vaccine delivery using its Viaskin technology, which has
already proved successful as an allergy diagnostic.
UK firm Protherics has inked a deal with a Korean partner allowing
the company to make use of its temperature sensitive sustained
release drug delivery system.
SkyePharma is looking towards a positive future despite a pre-tax
operating loss of £14.1m (€20.3m), announced in the UK company's
unaudited six-month results.
Pennsylvania-based ARx has officially opened a new pharmaceutical
manufacturing facility as it races to meet demand for its drug
delivery components and keep up with the times.
Roche has just had the child-size, lower strength version of its
blockbuster flu treatment Tamiflu (oseltamivir) approved by EU
authorities, though possibly just a little too late for this year's
flu season.
UK researchers have developed a plastic cell scaffold that enables
cells to be grown in realistic 3D structures and promises to enable
better cell based drug screening results.
Chinese drug manufacturers could be given a 24-hour deadline by
regulators to pull unsafe pharmaceuticals off the market or face a
fine, a Chinese newspaper reported.
Almost 700 jobs are to be lost at Belgian firm Janssen
Pharmaceutica, as the Johnson and Johnson subsidiary falls victim
to a restructuring drive at its parent company.
French processing and synthesis specialist Groupe Novasep is
heading to the sun with the acquisition of Bahamas-based
ingredients and intermediates firm PharmaChem Technologies.
ZaCh Systems has acquired PPG Industries' fine chemicals business
for approximately $65m (€46.9m), which includes a pharmaceutical
fine chemicals facility in Texas.
Swedish speciality pharma company Meda AB has announced its new low
dose of Soma (carisoprodol) has been approved by the US Food and
Drugs Administration (FDA).
BioDelivery Sciences International (BDSI) has acquired the US
rights to the BEMA oral adhesive disc drug delivery technology for
$3m, with a further $4m to be paid at a later date.
Irish start-up Crospon has licensed a 'smart' drug delivery
skin patch technology from HP Labs that uses inkjet printing
technology to deliver drugs under the skin.
