Israeli biopharma firm Kamada will manufacture transferrin for an
undisclosed European pharma firm embarking on the first ever
clinical trials of a drug that includes the substance.
Chugai Pharmaceutical has decided to manufacture a modified version
of Roche's Tamiflu (oseltamivir) in a dry syrup formulation which
can be stored at room temperature after the bottle is opened,
allowing for more storage capacity...
Specialty chemicals firm Cognis has received good manufacturing
practice (GMP) certification for its production of pharmaceutical
excipients in Germany, the first chemical company in the world to
do so but certainly not the last.
Indian custom chemical synthesis firm Denisco has opened up shop in
the US to capitalise on the growing demand in North America for
high-quality, low-cost complex organic molecules.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has turned down Nastech's
generic version of the nasal spray Miacalcin for the treatment of
osteoporosis because of the possibility of an interaction with a
preservative used in the formulation,...
Archemix has announced the formation of a strategic alliance with
Elan to discover and develop first-in-class aptamer therapeutics to
treat autoimmune disease.
US scientists have discovered that sugar and olive oil do not just
belong in the kitchen - but could potentially be used to develop
naturally-derived nanomaterials for drug delivery systems and
biological scaffolds.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has asked vaccine developing firm Antigenics
to supply it with more of its QS-21 adjuvant as its vaccines
progress in the pipeline, while at the same the British drug giant
is pushing ahead with its own adjuvant,...
Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in Europe are
struggling to differentiate their capabilities and compete in an
outsourcing market suffering from overcapacity, diminishing
profitability and threats from Asia.
Takeda Pharmaceutical has jumped at the chance to use a new
technology that its developer, Spherics, claims can improve the
efficacy of a drug while reducing side effects, providing more
consistent drug levels and enhancing compliance.
Abbott's Kaletra, the biggest-selling drug of a class of HIV
medications known as protease inhibitors, has won the thumbs up
from the European Commission with a melt extrusion formulation
which enhances solubility, requires fewer...
In the face of generic competition, Abbott has asked Irish
biotechnology firm Elan to use its NanoCrystal technology to
develop an "all in one" oral dose formulation combining two
cholesterol drugs, AstraZeneca's Crestor...
SR Pharma has recruited Genzyme, BioSpring and OctoPlus to
formulate and manufacture its lead RNAi therapeutic product Atu027
to good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards, as its liposomal
drug delivry system moves forward.
UK biopharma firm Adjuvantix has developed a new technology that it
claims can increase the effectiveness of vaccines as well as drugs
for cancer, inflammatory diseases and infectious diseases such as
tuberculosis and AIDS.
Tate and Lyle has announced the launch of Meritab - a new direct
compressible dextrose - that allows pharma tablet manufacturers to
stop using wet granulation processes, and so offers a cost
effective and simplified production process.
The sale of Clariant's Pharmaceutical Fine Chemicals (PFC) to
equity firm Towerbrook for around SFr110m (€70m) has been completed
and the unit, now called Archimica, is determined to dominate the
pharma raw materials market.
A dry powder nasal flu vacccine is being hailed by its developers
at DelSite Biotechnologies as a unique storage solution, providing
delivery advantages over traditional flu vaccines in the event of a
bird flu pandemic.
A new generation of drugs that target specific areas of the body
has created new challenges for dissolution testing, as many recent
active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are poorly soluble in
traditional media and need novel testing...
Intec Pharma has enlisted two North American dosage form
manufacturers to make "supergenerics" using its new method of oral
drug delivery that can transform existing drugs into more powerful
therapies.
Specialty chemicals firm Degussa has launched a new hydrophobic
silica excipient which is particularly suitable for very
hygroscopic and cohesive powders as it can significantly improve
powder flow.
Lipoxen have developed a new vaccine technology that it claims will
pave the way for more effective and safer vaccines and greater
manufacturing flexibility. They are now using the technology to
make the world's first hepatitis...
Researchers have developed a new nanocarrier system for the
delivery of drugs which contains iron and so can be directed by a
magnetic field to specific areas of the body, a technology which
could prove invaluable in the treatment...
EntreMed has produced hard data demonstrating antiangiogenic
activity of its lead compound against the devastating effects of
rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results pave the way to developing
therapeutics for the cancer and inflammatory...
SkyePharma used its latest business review meeting to announce the
imminent arrival of a new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug formulated
using its novel controlled release drug delivery technology.
Chinese scientists think they might have discovered what activates
the development of Leukaemia signalling a novel direction in which
new therapies can result to treat a disease that afflicts millions
worldwide.
Looking for an edge in both proprietary and off-patent products,
Plethora Solutions has licensed two drug delivery platforms from
Maelor Pharmaceuticals and Metris Therapeutics in the UK.
Vaccine developer Iomai has solidified its position in
transcutaneous immunisation (TCI) by receiving a new US patent
which outlines methods for inducing an immune response to Iomai's
novel skin-patch-based vaccines.
A chewing gum to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity is one step
closer to reality after developers of the technology, Generex,
formed a new partnership with Danish medicinal chewing gum
specialists, Fertin Pharma, to develop the product.
Biopharmaceutical firm Protherics has acquired a new adjuvant from
Dutch company CoVaccine that it will use for its hypertension
vaccine, hoping to boost antibody production by tenfold.
Biotech company Genzyme Pharmaceuticals and drug delivery firm
Brookwood Pharmaceuticals are now working together to create new
ways of delivering peptide-based drugs.
Danish biotechnology firm Novozymes has acquired Delta
Biotechnology from sanofi-aventis, looking to strengthen its
bioprocessing expertise in enzymes and microorganisms with Delta's
ability to manufacture recombinant proteins...
Many said it couldn't be done, but Australian pharma firm
Phosphagenics has developed what it claims is the world's first
transdermal insulin formulation and has received the first signs
that the product may have blockbuster...
Biotechnology firm SR Pharma has announced a technical breakthrough
in the formulation of siRNA drugs, enabling them to be stored at
room temperature and reconstituted in one simple step, thus
extending shelf life and making administration...
Fonterra, New Zealand's biggest company, has received a green light
from the European Commission to join with Dutch dairy group Campina
to sell lactose to the pharma industry.
BASF has announced it has managed to produce the chemical
intermediate N-ethyldiisoproylamine (EDIPA), also known as Huenig's
base, at a purity of at least 99.5 per cent, helping manufacturers
to stay clear from undesirable side...
Galvanised by the US, thirteen of the EU's major trading partners
have called for a reconsideration of the EU's draft chemicals
legislation, calling it "potentially disruptive" to world
trade.
After receiving a grant of $3.9m (€3m) from the US government,
British biotechnology firm Avecia has put together a consortium of
four companies to develop a version of its anthrax vaccine with
increased stability so it works without...
US biotechnology firm Bio-Bridge Science, whose ambition is to
develop an HIV vaccine, has finished major construction of a good
manufacturing practice (GMP) research and manufacturing facility in
Beijing.
Biotechnology firm Invitrogen has opened a new facility in New York
which can make its Advanced Granulation Technology (AGT) media
totally free of animal origin components while addressing key
bottlenecks in drug production.
Drug delivery firm Egalet has asked SP Medical, a manufacturer of
moulded plastics and coatings, to make sufficient clinical grade
quantities of its therapeutics using injection moulding, which
allows for greater uniformity and reproducibility...
A study that has uncovered core functional differences between a
new oestrogen receptor could form the basis of novel and
potentially more effective treatments of breast cancer as
researchers sought to utilise this therapeutic target.
Nastech has secured a contract with Procter & Gamble (P&G)
to ramp up manufacturing capacity for a new needle-free drug to
beat osteoporosis, in anticipation of meeting expected global
demand once the product is approved.
Scientists believe they have made a breakthrough in the fight
against HIV drug resistance by developing a drug that is the first
in a new class of HIV drug candidates called Maturation Inhibitors.
SurModics has licensed its advanced hydrophilic coating technology
to Xtent for use in the delivery system of its novel drug-eluting
stent (DES) system, designed to reduce the time, complexity and
cost of coronary stent procedures.
Biotechnology firm Gilead has acquired Raylo Chemicals, a Canadian
production unit of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and
advanced intermediates, from Degussa for €115m, seeking to bring
more manufacturing capacity and expertise...
Looking to add active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and
intermediates to its Chinese portfolio, Degussa has acquired a
majority stake in the Chinese fine chemicals firm Lynchem, allowing
it to target the pharma industry more competitively.
PowerMed has demonstrated the immunogenicity of an influenza DNA
vaccine for the first time in humans using a new drug delivery
system and claims it may serve as a cost-effective weapon against
bird flu.
UK novel drug delivery developer Vectura and UK venture capital
firm Unilever Ventures have jointly established a new speciality
pharmaceutical company focusing on oral and transdermal drug
delivery systems.
