Lonza has signed two separate deals with California-based Genentech
- a move that illustrates the re-emergence of a relationship
between the two firms.
Pharma company NovaDel has announced that the US regulators have
given the thumbs up to its oral spray for relieving and preventing
angina due to coronary artery disease.
California's Health and Human Services (HHS) has decided to
temporarily suspend a ban on mercury-based flu vaccines given to
children under three, citing a vaccine shortage caused by
production delays.
Merck Sharp & Dohme has just announced a €100m investment in
South Tipperary, Ireland to build a new formulation R&D centre
and drug manufacturing plant.
Plastic labware manufacturers Nalge Nunc have launched its range of
RNase/DNase-free products and capabilities specifically designed to
support molecular biology research from microwell plates to
packaging.
Researchers have developed a more efficient and cost-saving method
to make cladribine, a drug used for the treatment of certain types
of leukaemia and potentially efficient against multiple sclerosis
(MS).
Canadian drug maker LAB International has announced its plan to
acquire Texan PharmaForm in order to speed up the manufacture of
its inhalable anti-pain drug, which will reach late stage clinical
trials next year.
Scientists are looking into the possibility of using bacteria to
make a new library of anti-cancer compounds that are usually too
difficult to create synthetically. The discovery could provide the
basis for developing useful new anti-cancer...
Roche took the opportunity at the American Association for the
Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) meeting to disclose the results of
its hepatitis C polymerase inhibitor, which exhibited viral
reductions greater than current polymerase...
French pharma company Servier has announced the launch of a new
manufacturing facility and also the expansion of its existing
operation in Ireland, an investment totalling €184m.
Italian pharmaceutical company Recordati has reported a net profit
growth of 6.5 per cent to €18.5m in its third quarter results, as a
slump in sales was offset by lower costs.
BioWa has announced it is to commence Phase 1 clinical trials
anti-IL-5 receptor monoclonal antibody (Mab), which is being
developed for the treatment of asthma, a respiratory disorder that
is on the rise, particularly in children.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the launch
of a new guidance to help drug makers evaluate lab test results
that fall outside the specification limits.
US-based drug maker Cleveland BioLabs has teamed up with
biopharmaceutical manufacturer Synco Bio Partners to produce its
leading radioprotection molecule for clinical trials and
commercialisation
Drug maker Eli Lilly has completed the first phase of a $560m
(€446m) expansion of its biotech facility in Indianapolis, US, in
order to match the growing number of biological drugs in its
pipeline.
Findings from new study have offered an innovative profile of an
enzyme that aids tumour growth, which points towards a potential
new target for treatments for ovarian and breast cancers.
Eli Lilly has splashed out $2.1bn (€1.7bn) to buy ICOS, who the
drug giant has been involved in a joint venture with to manufacture
and sell Cialis (tadalafil) - the number two erectile dysfunction
drug behind Viagra (sildenafil).
UK Biopharma company Evolutec has signed a deal with Wacker Biotech
to produce Evolutec's new autoimmune disease drug candidate rEV576
for clinical trials.
Two trade associations of the world's two largest pharma economies
- Europe and the US - took the unusual step of banding together at
the CPhI in Paris to condemn their regulatory authorities for poor
regulation of foreign active...
Service provider Saltigo is reinforcing its position in the
stabilising fine chemical custom manufacturing industry by
investing in the expansion of its German facility.
Pfizer CentreSource has decided to outsource the manufacture of some of its active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to two Asian contract manufacturers and intends to work with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) during the process.
LifeCycle has signed three collaboration agreements with big pharma
companies for the development of new anti-cholesterol products
using its novel drug delivery technologies.
Researchers have demonstrated that a new compound has the potential
to effectively cure epilepsy, raising hopes that a new drug can be
produced to treat epileptic patients, who currently have no access
to treatment.
Italian pharma company Indena is strengthening its position in the
"natural drug" market - where drug molecules are derived from
plants - a potentially lucrative niche area of pharmaceuticals.
NovaThera and Dutch biotech company Pharming have pooled their
resources to develop a new generation of bioactive materials aimed
at the delivery of therapeutic transgenic proteins.
British pharma company Aesica has bought a chemical manufacturing
facility from Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD), Merck's UK subsidiary,
in a bid to increase it manufacturing capacities.
In its ambition to become one of the top three global players in
custom manufacturing, the UK subsidiary of drug-maker Nicholas
Piramal (NPIL) has created a new "innovation unit" in Europe.
Codexis is using India as a springboard to launch it into direct
sales of high-value generic pharmaceutical intermediates, to be
sold into unregulated markets for use in patented drugs.
Australia's Sigma Pharmaceuticals is attempting to take over the
reigns of smaller domestic rival Australian Pharmaceutical
Industries (API) in a move that if successful, would allow it to
control two thirds of the $9bn Australian...
US drug heavyweight Pfizer is pushing through into the increasingly
profitable vaccine market with the purchase of privately held UK
firm PowderMed for an undisclosed sum.
The need for better exploitation of clinical data is linked
directly to the general challenges facing drug development today as
development costs for new products have rocketed from $100m (€79m)
to $800m.
Italian drug delivery technology developer Eurand has signed a $42m
(€33m) licensing deal with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to make a new
formulation of one of the British pharma giant's drugs.
British pharma company Shire has opened a new $6m (€4.7m)
pharmaceutical technology centre at its Baltimore, Maryland plant
in order to improve its manufacturing capability.
Japanese firm Ebara and Berlin-based Capsulution NanoScience are
now working together to develop a new time-controlled release
technology for pharmaceuticals.
A new study has discovered what seems to be a novel compound that
offers protection against influenza viruses, including the bird flu
virus. The compound could represent a new class of antiviral drugs
to prevent and treat this killer...
Biotechnology firm Apollo claims to have achieved mission
impossible in the oral delivery of insulin by successfully lowering
blood glucose levels in diabetic rats using its proprietary oral
delivery technology.
Indian biopharmaceutical company Wockhardt has signed a deal with
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) to establish
a special economic zone (SEZ) in Aurangabad, India, in order to
expand its manufacturing capabilities.
Merck has been forced to delay marketing plans for its combination
cholesterol drug MK-0524B following problems in formulating its
top-selling statin Zocor (simvastatin) with a new promising
compound under development, MK-524A.
Researchers have discovered a new method for delivering drugs to
the eye using biodegradable polymer nanoparticles that promise
controlled release and better bioavailability than eye drops.
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 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...
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.
